Tribute to Mrs June Russell, Basingstoke Crematorium,
1.15pm, Monday, February 8, 2021
MUSIC ON ARRIVAL: Perhaps Love (John Denver and Placido Domingo)
Thank you everyone for being here today to say your final farewells to Mrs June Russell, who left this life on January 12.
June’s passing in hospital may have come after a long battle against Parkinson’s disease, but it has still come as a huge shock for her family and many friends, so please remember each other in your thoughts, prayers and deeds, both today and in the future. As you will hear, June was so helpful to others in life and if it would be a wonderful tribute to her to show your love to others at this time. The pandemic has demonstrated just how much we need each other.
On that topic, there are number of people unable to attend this service. Fortunately, at least some of them are able to watch via a weblink and I hope those watching remotely feel as much a part of this service as if they were here in person. I know your thoughts are with us.
We will be remembering June in words, song, poetry and prayer which will hopefully enable you to honour her memory in whichever way is best for you, whether you follow a particular faith or not. You are also invited to make a donation in her memory towards the work of Parkinson’s UK. The details of how to give are detailed on the rear of the order of service and anything you give will be money well spent.
This is a sad day as you’ve lost someone unique and wonderful, but it would be a shame if we didn’t remember her with a smile at some point. Perhaps this will be easier if you wished to raise a glass to her privately today.
In preparing for this service, I am grateful for the help given by Tracey (and Mick) and I am honoured to be speaking today. They have crafted a vivid pen portrait of her which I shall share with you in a moment. First, let us be standing for the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
I shall now refer to the tribute I mentioned earlier.
June Russell – 1939-2021
June was born to Evelyn and Arthur Coward in Welling, Kent, on the 3rd August 1939. She was the firstborn of the Coward children, then followed Pam, Eric and Rita.
She had a happy childhood, although money was tight, they enjoyed holidays by the sea arriving by train as her father was a train guard and got free travel.
As children they all had nicknames and June’s was ‘Spoon’
Pam & Rita recall June, their big sister always having a huge smile on her face and when out playing in the street with her siblings she would become ‘mother hen’. She also looked after them every weekend for almost a year whilst their parents visited little brother Eric in hospital as he recovered from a long illness. As a teenager they can visualise her in her high heels looking so grown-up with her lovely figure and good height, stockings with seams up the back. They remember pinching her shoes, which were two sizes too big, stuffing them out with newspaper then getting a black liquorice sweet and making a line up the back of their legs as if they had stockings on like their big sister.
June met and married ‘Vic, and in 1960 their first son Dale was born, followed by daughter Dawn in 1962. They moved to Basingstoke and along came daughter Tracey in 1967, quickly followed by son Jason in 1968 (with less than a year between them and now four young children it was a very hectic time). As a family they enjoyed many holidays by the sea as Vic also worked on the railway and they got free travel. (There is a pattern here!)
June went on to be a Residential Social Worker for a local care home, a job she was very passionate about and continued until her retirement.
She also, during these years saw all of her children get married and became a very proud Nanny to Grandchildren Sadie, Louise, Christopher, Natalie, Justine, Kimberley, Daniel, Jodie, Ryan and Jamie. Also she was a proud Auntie to her siblings’ children.
She enjoyed spending time with all of them and had many holidays over the years with Dale and daughter-in-law Marcelle, Tracey and husband Mick and their children Daniel and Jodie, and also Jason and his sons Ryan and Jamie along with Louise and her family.
June has seen a lot of heartache in her life, sadly, daughter Dawn suffered with diabetes and a diabetic coma in 1985 left her in a very bad way and she has lived in care home ever since, she is not able to be with us here today but we know she will be with Mum in her heart.
Son Dale sadly and suddenly passed away in 2006 leaving the family devastated and as always June was there to support his family and everyone else despite her own grief.
June married Malcolm Russell in 1991 and has spent almost 30 years being a loving wife. Malcolm has wonderfully fond memories of their first holiday together in Corfu.
They spent many happy years having holidays and weekends away at their holiday home in Milford-On-Sea, one of June’s favourite places to visit. They have spent the last few years since Malcolm’s ill health in each other’s company 24/7, a testament to any marriage and one in which they supported each other whole heartedly: A true love.
It was during this retirement that she became a Great-Grandparent, being ‘Nanny’ to Louise and Lees daughters Kayley and Lucy, then ‘Big Nanny’ to Daniel’s son Leo and also future ‘Nan-in-law’ to Daniels fiancé Kiz. She also acted as a surrogate Mum to daughter Tracey’s friend Karen, whom she became very close too and thought fondly of, Karen returned those feelings and called her Mummy B (Basingstoke).
June also had a particularly good relationship with son-in-law of 35 years, Mick (Tracey’s husband), with whom she regularly exchanged playful banter. He called her ‘Lumpy’ and they shared a love of fish and chips followed by ice cream at the seaside which they would do at every given opportunity.
She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 and has battled with it for all these years, proof that she was indeed a strong and determined woman.
Parkinson’s left her quite forgetful and she would regularly be placed on the ‘naughty step’ by family for not following orders. She revelled in being rebellious and the grin she had on her face whilst sat on that step will remain with the family forever.
All our lives have been enriched by June being in them and she will be sadly missed by many, family and friends alike.
Music is an important part of this service and three of the songs were chosen by the lady herself. The song to accompany our departure has been picked by Malcolm. Let us now pause and reflect on her life with a song that is a reminder to the family of when June’s father – who wasn’t a dancer - used to walk around with his children on his feet. The song, which came out years after his passing, immediately struck a chord with the family.
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION: Dance with My Father - Luther Vandross
Poetry, like music, can be a powerful medium for expressing our thoughts and feelings at times like these. The following poem will be recited on Malcom’s behalf by Tracey.
My Devotion To You
I believe that God above
created you for me to love
He picked you out from all the rest
because he knew I loved you best
I had a heart so warm and true
but now it’s gone from me to you
Take care of it as I have done
for now you’ve two and I have none
If I go to heaven and you’re not there
I’ll paint your face on the Golden Stair
So all the Angels will look and see,
what you my Darling mean to me
If you’ve not arrived by judgement day,
I’ll know you’ve gone the other way
I’ll give the Angels back their wings
their Golden Harps and other things
And just to show what I would do
I’ll even go to hell for you.
---------------------
(Tracey) “Mum, on behalf of myself and Jason, we spent so much time together, there is huge hole in our lives, that right now can’t be filled but hopefully one day when our grief allows we will fill that void with happy memories and love and laughter as we think of you dearly. I’ll miss our Mother and daughter time and I know one day we will sail the high seas together again, until then I’ll take comfort in the fact that you had someone waiting for you and that you and Dale will be putting the world to rights over an ice cream.
And as a very wise young lady, Jasmine, said, “She is now another star in the sky”. Shine brightly Mumma Bear. Love you.”
I should add that Malcolm has made a special trip to be with us today, which demonstrates his love for June.
The conclusion of this service is now approaching. For some here, this is it and June’s remarkable story ends here, a story to be carried on by you. For others, this is not the end in which case in now in the better place where she deserves to be.
Regardless of your beliefs, June lives on through her family, friends and the other lives she touched during her time on Earth. The curtain will close, but her legacy lives on, as will your love.
When the final song begins, I would ask everyone to remain seated and take their cue from the family as to when to leave the chapel.
MUSIC FOR COMMITTAL: Make Me a Channel of Your Peace (Dragon School Choir)
WORDS OF COMMITTAL
It now falls to me to say that June is now beyond harm, pain, fear or disease and here in this final rite of love we commit her body to be cremated; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Be remembered at your best as you loved and laughed in life and were loved in return. Farewell June and be at peace.
MUSIC ON DEPARTURE: Forever Autumn (Justin Hayward)
