Terry’s Eulogy Hello everybody, nice to see you all. I’m up here to speak to you about my beautiful wife, Joan. How I met her and fell in love with her. Joan and I first met at work. She was a female draughtsman and I was an apprentice engineer. It didn’t take me long after she joined the company, to realise that she was someone very special. She was brilliant at her job, so neat and quick. She was highly regarded by the company. But it wasn’t only her technical prowess that interested me. I also noticed that she was very attractive, well put together, with lovely brown eyes and a beautiful smile. As well as, that she had a confident and pleasing air about her. I was smitten so I staked my claim early, she was aware of my interest but she played it cool at first. However, I was persistent and eventually I got my chance at the firm’s Christmas party when I danced with her and got a date (yippee!). From there I never looked back and we became a couple. It soon turned into real love and it was time for me to be shown off to her lovely parents Phoebe and Bob and her younger sister Margaret, who is here with us today. Then it was off to my house where the whole family took to her immediately, especially my dad. All was going well but there was one hurdle in front of us, National Service, we knew it was coming but it was not convenient. Joan took it well and sent me lovely, love letters every week. I managed to get away with one a week. She also worked hard to save money, for when I escaped. To my surprise, after I was demobbed, she proposed to me by saying ‘I suppose we ought to get married then,’ (very romantic). To which I replied ‘yes dear’. The wedding, although done on a shoe string, was fabulous. My mum made all the lovely dresses and Joan’s dad got the cars. We had a sandwich buffet at a pub in Hillingdon, it was cheap but nice. We went on honeymoon to Babbacombe in Devon. We had a wonderful time, but I’ll spare you the details. We returned home happy and content but that wasn’t it for us. Most of the young couples on our estate were having children, but not us. We were having too much fun, holidays in the Algarve, Switzerland and all round the world as well as parties, concerts and dances. When friends hinted kindly about our situation regarding children, or lack thereof, I always jokingly said ‘I’d lost the book.’ When we did try, we had no luck at first and were worried, but one great day I got a call from Joan at work to say ‘I’m pregnant,’ imagine our joy. Soon we had 2 lovely boys, Richard and John, and our cup was overflowing. Joan was in her element and just so full of joy and love. Now she had a loving husband and 2 lovely children, later adding 3 brilliant grandchildren, and she deserved it all. So, I come to today, where you have all turned up to show your love and hopefully share some of these memories of her. Let us remember we are not here to mourn our loss but to show love and thanks for her full and loving life. Finally, I would like to thank Katherine, Richard, John and Andrea for their support in the best and worst times. I would also like to express my gratitude to the management and carers at ‘Right at Home’ for their loving care of both Joan and I, and more recently just me. Thank you all, Terry.