Len Neville’s Funeral address given by Rev’d Brenda Tipping.

Coming into church to say farewell to someone whom you’ve loved or known for many years, someone who’s been an important part of your life, is always a sad and difficult thing to do. But it’s important that we recognise that this service is not just about sadness, it’s also very much about thanksgiving.  We are here to give thanks for the life of Len Neville, I think some of you called him Bruce, to give thanks for all that he was and all that he did, thanks for the memories that he’s left with each of you.

Ballroom dancing, he loved motorcycle racing and went a number of times to the mecca of motorcycle racing, the Isle of Man, once with his brother-in-law John for the TT races and more recently Mary and Len spent several holidays there during Grand Prix week, staying at the Casino Hilton in Douglas.  Mary and Len enjoyed many holidays together and had in fact only just returned from a Christmas holiday in North Wales when he was taken ill.

Another of Len’s great interests railways and he belonged to the Barnet Railway club.  He was also an avid reader and enjoyed gardening. Len was a great collector, he had stamp collections and an enormous collection of miniature vans. 

In the church we are still in the season of Christmas, the time when Christ came to earth, at the end of his life he suffered and died that we might all have hope of eternal life. I believe that now that Len has reached the end of his life on earth he is resting safely from his labours, in the arms of God.

Let us now take a few moments to draw to mind your own personal, special memories of Len and give thanks for them.

Amen