We would all like to thank all of you for attending this service in
celebration of my Mum’s Life. It is really appreciated.

My Mum, Mary Barnard loved the theatre and especially the
musicals, from which the music for today has been selected. The
strength shown in the first song is something I saw my mother
develop over time and she became a much more confident person.

She was born in Scotland on 21st August 1940 and already had Pat as
an older sister. Mum had a hard childhood but enjoyed playing
outside and going to the fairgrounds with Lettie, a cousin and lifelong
friend. As she grew, she really enjoyed dancing, especially the jive.

Mum and Dad got married on the 12th of May 1962.

What her childhood gave her was a drive to do better and this made
her become VERY focused on her family and making sure her
children were well looked after. Times were often tough, and both
our parents had to work to help keep food on the table and a roof
over our heads. I know for certain, as myself and Paula were growing
up, we never knew how hard it was at times.

She worked as secretary in several legal firms, where she got teased
for her accent and like everything she did, she worked hard to soften
it.

She got an admin job at Coventry Polytechnic. She loved that job, but
it wasn’t her favourite, but it made her realise what she wanted.

As an aside, I know that me not getting a job after university did not
sit well with the workaholic, always busy person that was mum, but
she never said anything. Well, not often anyway. However, at the
start of 1986, I casually mentioned that I would start looking for a job
in the summer. Quite literally the next week, I got a padded envelope
containing 4 completed CVs (not signed as I had to do that) and a
return paid envelope to return them to her. I found out many years
later she talked to the career advisors at Coventry Polytechnic
regularly for that moment I was ready to start a career. She wanted
to make sure I got round to it. I did start a job in the Summer for
which I was incredibly grateful and without her help (and
persistence), I would never have been in the right place to meet Jan,
my wife.

Mum wanted to teach, and she wanted to get a teaching diploma.
She told me her graduation was the happiest day in her life. This did
not take away from her wedding or her children, but this was
something she did for herself. We were all so proud of Mum that
day.

She became a further education teacher and an exam invigilator. A
job and role she kept doing as long as she could. From the feedback
we have received we know she was an excellent teacher and really
cared about her students and their future.

During this time, she gained 2 more distractions in guise of her
beloved grandsons Adam and Kieran. As if she wasn’t busy enough.
Later in life, Mum loved going to the Theatre and weekly shopping
trips with Paula. Mum, because she relished a challenge, would
attempt anything from line dancing to scrabble, rambling to bowling.
The most important thing to her was to meet people and have some
fun.

Both our parents loved going on holidays and Mum loved their trips
to the Caribbean and the Greek Islands. River cruises were another
favourite, especially in their later years. She especially loved the
holidays with other family members. This included those holidays
that involved reconnecting with extended family members.

One of those holidays happened by coincidence. My parents went to
Iceland and unknown to them, at the same time, Jan’s sister and her
partner, who live in Canada, were also there. We organised, once we
found this out, for the 2 groups to meet (without telling my parents),
and they had a great few days. Mum loved it.

In the past 2 years, as things started to not go so well for Mum, there
was one shining light that always cheered her up…Arthur, her Great
Grandson. She really adored him.

Mum spent the last 4 months of her Life at Bede Village and they
certainly helped make her last few months as comfortable as
possible. We all offer a big thanks to everyone there for their efforts.
Mum would be so pleased to see everyone here and watching online.

Mum loved her family and all the friends she made across the globe
and across the years.

Mum, we all loved you and will miss you so very much.