Celebrant
Opening Words

Good afternoon, my name is Lorraine Hull and it is my privilege today to lead this ceremony for Catherine May Gamester. All of you here today have gathered from different places. You may not all know each other, and yet you are all linked
together through the life of Catherine or Cath or Kitty, as you may have known
her.

In whatever capacity you knew Cath you have left your daily routines today to acknowledge some of the thoughts and feelings that well up in all of us when we are
saddened by death. You all share in the sorrow of this occasion, each
experiencing the emptiness, which comes from separation and acknowledging the
gap that there will be in your lives.

After today’s service, you are invited to join Cath’s family for refreshments at Blackburne House, just off Hope Street in Liverpool City Centre. Details are on your
Order of Service.

Circumstances

Until the last couple of years, Cath had been in fairly good health, for a person in her
eighties. She had problems with her hearing, but she was happy enough living on her own and managing well. Her family popped in regularly and she was still going out to the shops and bingo every week.

Last year, following a fall in her home, she had a stroke, which affected her speech. Following a spell in hospital and a short stay in her sister’s care home she made a good recovery. However, earlier this year Cath’s health declined and she was not able to look after herself as she was before. She moved back into Cressington Court Care Home where she remained for several months. Sadly, her condition worsened quite
rapidly and she passed away at the Care Home, on Tuesday 23rd June.

Cath’s children have asked me to thank: Irene, Jimmy, Derek, Neil, Clare and all of the staff and carers at Cressington Court for making their mum’s last months as comfortable as they could be. They really appreciate everything that you did for her.

Any donations, in memory of Cath, may be made to Cressington Court Care Home; details are on your Order of Service.

Cath leaves her daughters: Susan and son-in-law Dave, Janice and son-in-law Billy, Linda and son-in-law Peter and son Martin and daughter-in-law Paula. She leaves her
grandchildren: Christopher and his partner Andrea, Lisa and her husband Alex
and Ian and his girlfriend Michelle. She also leaves sister Irene and brother-in-law Jimmy and her three nephews and their partners and children.

Cath’s Story

There are many differences between a funeral for a young woman and one for a woman of Cath’s age. One, of course, is that she has outlived most of her friends and a fair proportion of her relatives. Another is that it can be difficult to get a full representation of their earlier life.

So, what do we know about Catherine May Gamester? Shortly, you will hear from Lisa and she will tell you some things you may and may not already know about her Nan. But, before that, I will start at the beginning…

Catherine May Morgan, was born on 3rd May 1928, in Liverpool. She was the oldest
daughter, of five children born to mum Mary and her dad was Edward. Cath’s youngest sister, Irene, is here today. Sadly, Irene and Cath’s sister Dolly and their brothers Billy and Neddy passed away some time ago.

Cath grew up and went to school in West Derby Village. She left school at about fourteen and went to work at Ogdens, in the office.

She married Derek Gamester when she was nineteen. Derek was from London and was stationed locally, doing his National Service, when they met. They had four
children. Susan, the oldest, was born in Liverpool, Janice was born in London and Linda and Martin were both born in the Isle of Wight. After the Isle of Wight, the family
moved to Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Cath and Derek split up while they were living in Aylesbury and Cath, and the children, moved back to Liverpool, to be near her family. She needed to work full-time to
provide for herself and the children and after a few temporary jobs she got the job that she loved and was to stay in until she retired: working in the stock room at Marks & Spencer’s, Church Street, Liverpool. She stayed in that job for over twenty-five years.

When she retired, she was the manager of the stock room. For her silver anniversary of working at Marks & Spencer, she went to a very special ceremony in London where she was presented with a gold watch. She outlived many of her friends and colleagues from her working days but she was still in touch with a few sending birthday and Christmas cards every year.

Celebrant Continues

I asked what Cath was like and I was told that she was a quiet, reserved type of person who never smoked or drank. I was also told that Cath was always very smartly turned out and wouldn’t like to be seen any other way. She was generous and kind and you have heard Lisa talk about just some of her Nan’s thoughtfulness.

I asked what kinds of things Cath liked to do and I was told that she loved to read and do the puzzles in magazines and loved to watch the soaps and could always tell you
what was going on. She loved her garden and flowers, particularly roses. As she got older, she became a little wobbly on her feet so she could do less of the big jobs, in the
garden, but she still enjoyed pottering about.

So, in the last few minutes, you have heard a little of what Cath loved, but of course, what she loved most was not going to the bingo or gardening. It wasn’t watching the This Morning or even listening to Dean Martin. It was her family. It was you: her children, her grandchildren and her sister. And your families. She loved you all and she would have given you the world, in a heartbeat, if she could have. How great that love was and how great it is that she knew how much you loved her.

Reflection

The writer Maya Angelou said: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. You have heard today just a little of the things that Cath said and did, there are many other things that you will remember, later and in the future. There are others that you won’t; they are lost in time. But what you will never forget is how Cath made you feel.

Closing Words

On behalf of Cath’s family, I thank you for your presence here today. Ian has just read you one of Cath’s poems where she said that her name wouldn’t make the news. She always said that she wouldn’t be famous and no one would ever know her name. The artist and filmmaker, Andy Warhol, said “everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”. Well Andy Warhol was right and Cath was wrong. You have heard from Lisa that Cath had more than fifteen minutes of fame and many people knew her name. But the important people, who knew her, are here.

At this moment, you have Cath in your heart and in your thoughts. They say that a person dies twice – once when the last breath leaves their body and once when the last person they knew says their name for the last time. You have memories of the times that you and she spent together. Remember these times and talk about them. For if you always think of her, and speak of her, you will keep her in your heart and she will remain with you always.

Final Farewell

Cath, you were a kind and generous woman and you have led a good life that touched
many people. You lived your life with a sense of curiosity. You have experienced the highest of human qualities, that of love. You lived your life according to the principles
of integrity, loyalty and honesty, and we honour and love you for that. You made a difference.

Cath, thank you for all you gave. The ripples of your life and love continue to spread in this world through your children and your grandchildren.

And now, with sadness in our hearts and inspiration for having known you, we let you go. With love and appreciation, we gently commit the body of Catherine May Gamester to its end with nature. We rejoice that she lived, and are glad that we knew her. We treasure that we walked with her the way of life. With love we leave her in peace, with respect we bid her farewell.

Memory to memory, Blessing to blessing, Spirit to spirit, Love to love.