March 12th 1944 - March 6th 2001

Service led by Captain Kay Delamere
March 12th 2001
The Salvation Army
Cook Street
Leigh

(As Malcolm's coffin was carried in, Shania Twain's recording 'You're Still The One' was playing)

We welcome you all here this afternoon into our church as we come and remember the life of Malcolm Disley, In some way or other he has affected our lives and we gather here to thank God for his life.

Every one of you here has known Malcolm in some way or other, and your lives have been affected by him. I never had the privilege of meeting Malcolm, but over this last week I feel that I have learnt about him as I have shared with the family over these last days.

He was a man who lived life to the full in the way that he wanted to live enjoying travelling around and leaving behind him a trail of happy memories.

Malcolm leaves behind him his parents, a sister, and two sons: Matthew, with his wife Amanda, and Stephen. He also has two grandchildren, Lianne and Kara, who live in Australia. He had the privilege of being over there with his mum just last October, which turned out to be a really happy time together.

Malcolm spent his time being his mother's carer, and had always time for her whatever he was doing, but he also had two very special things he devoted his life to.

One of them was his animals. I understand that he looked after peoples' dogs while they were on holiday, and he had a particular knack of being able to train even the most stubborn of pets. They seemed to pick up a certain respect for him, and he spent many happy times looking after the dogs. This interest overflowed into his love for walking and being in the countryside and seeing the wild flowers, which has been reflected in the flowers today. He knew the names of the flowers, and they were part of his life.

But something else which was a big part of Malcolm's life was his music. Malcolm lived for his folk music. He had a group called 'Heads Together' which played in the various folk clubs. Not only locally, but he travelled around the world with his guitar.

He loved music, and at the beginning of the service we heard one of his favourite songs called 'You're Still The One". This was played constantly to Evelyn while she was decorating his flat, as it was so special.

A little later we shall hear some of his music which he so loved performing.

But, whatever he was doing, he had a special place in his heart for home and his mother, and never failed to keep in touch, always sending cards on Mother's Day, and other occasions. There was a special bond there, and, though they didn't always agree, they were always there for each other.

Different sides of his character would emerge, and I heard stories of, while in Spain, he strapped his mum to the wheelchair, pulled her hat down on her head, and spoke abruptly to her, making other people stop and stare, and yet this was him only playing and fooling around.

These are special memories that can never be taken away from each one of you, and give us reason to thank God for his life.

But what about us that are left to carry on in this world? How do we continue to cope? Well, there is a verse from that Psalm that we read earlier that is special for you today:

Even though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

It's a verse that's saying we must take time; we walk, we cannot hurry, because healing takes time. We must walk hand in hand with God, because he cares about us. Through the valleys, the dark times, God will lead the way if we only put our trust in him. God's love can surround us if we allow him to be our shepherd and our guide.

Malcolm's spirit has already departed, and at this moment we are travelling through that dark valley. But remember that, if we walk with God, if we reach out and take his hand, he will lead us through the valley, and fill our lives with his love, and we remember the many happy memories we have of Malcolm's life.