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You are here: Home / Inspiration / Celebrating a Life Well Lived…

Celebrating a Life Well Lived…

December 10, 2010 By Kate Bacon 12 Comments

St Mary's in the Snow

Sadly, I never made it to St Magnus Cathedral on Orkney for the funeral of my “second mum” on Wednesday. The intention was there and we got as far as Edinburgh, in the midst of the coldest weather in 40 years at minus 12 degrees.

The last leg of the journey, the flight to Kirkwall never happened…in fact it hadn’t happened for the previous three days either we found out from fellow travellers trying to get home. I still don’t know if a plane ever left Edinburgh Airport that afternoon…

We were supposed to arrive the night before, but that plane was cancelled, so after a night in the Hilton at the airport (we never even made it to Edinburgh city centre – the roads were at a standstill because of ice and snow), we tried again the following morning. The 09:40 was delayed until 10:30, then 11:30, then back to 10:45 (which would have got us to Kirkwall for 11:45 so we would have still been able to get the five miles to the cathedral). Fingers crossed we hoped against hope it wouldn’t be delayed further, but another change on the departure board stated 13:00 (it was now going to be too late, the funeral started at 12:30). In tears we gave up and left voicemail messages sending hugs and love…

My mum met Sally Heddle on the way to the baby clinic when her daughter Elisabeth and I were both tiny, so our families have known each others for 46 years. Liz and I grew up together, and we spent a lot of time around each other’s houses – I can still smell the chocolate sponge cake “Aunty Sally” made (and that Liz can now replicate perfectly). Sally was a gifted musician and music teacher and taught me to sing at school. She was also diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 40 years ago. Liz came home from school and helped her mum out every day after school (I still admire her for that – not something every teenager would be happy about). We sewed white pencil skirts together (it WAS the 70s) with the help of her mum – and even got the “Pernod and black” out with bleach after the big night out (don’t ask we were 15!)

Sally was made an MBE in 1992 for her charity work – being in a wheelchair never stopped her, from her musical activities, to volunteering to help other disabled people learn to sail – she approached everything with determination and a big smile. Earlier this year she faced complex surgery to remove a tumour in her brain with the same tenacity – she is one of only three patients to ever have undergone the operation (while still awake!) at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

I heard the funeral was beautiful and exactly how Sally had planned it – I don’t believe I know anyone who lived such a full and purposeful life and touched so many, many people. Sally you will be missed…

Photo credit: Adam Tinworth

Filed Under: Inspiration, The Important Stuff In Life

About Kate Bacon

Kate helps small businesses connect with their perfect clients through her creative approach to web design. She supports solopreneurs to re-ignite the spark of passion that drew them to set up their business in the first place – and amplify it into an online home that’s in alignment with the core of who they are. Her coach training combined with a decade of experience in online business are the foundations of her work: Helping her clients dig deep into who they are, why they’re in business, and how they can express that authentically online.

Comments

  1. Janet Walker says

    December 16, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    A lovely tribute, Kate. I’m so sorry you had such a disappointment at Edinburgh in addition to your great sense of loss.
    Jan x

    Reply
  2. admin says

    December 16, 2010 at 9:53 pm

    Thanks Jan…and I must say once we realised that there was no way we were going to make it to Kirkwall and, more importantly, accepted that, we could breathe a sigh of relief. I’m learning that acceptance is a super important state of mind…

    Reply
  3. Mary Bacon says

    December 17, 2010 at 1:17 am

    That’s a lovely tribute Kate. Mum

    Reply
  4. David Barrow says

    December 28, 2010 at 8:25 pm

    A fine tribute for a lovely lady.

    Reply
  5. Richard Heddle says

    January 24, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    Thanks for your wonderful words about my mum and the lovely anecdotes.
    We all shared your disappointments as we followed your attempt to join us.
    Maybe sometime you will be able to completer the trip and visit the islands where she achieved the dream to live beside the sea and for you to enjoy the views she loved.

    Reply
    • admin says

      January 24, 2011 at 9:14 pm

      Thanks Richard – and Mum and I are going to meet up with Liz this weekend which will be lovely. Yes I hope to make it to Orkney one day too. Take care, Kate

      Reply
  6. Ross & Jacqui Ellice says

    April 1, 2011 at 6:59 pm

    We just happened to bump into Mary Bacon yesterday in Westerham and were so sad to learn that Sally had passed away. It is difficult to encapsulate all of Sally’s acheivements but you’ve done a great job, Kate.

    Reply
    • admin says

      April 5, 2011 at 10:08 am

      Thanks Ross and Jacqui…and a big thank you for taking such good care of my dad when you were his GP 🙂

      Reply
  7. admin says

    April 5, 2011 at 10:22 am

    A journalist from the Times Educational Supplement found my blog post on Sally Heddle and wrote the following article that was published on 18 February 20101. Here is the link: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6070604

    Reply
  8. Liz says

    October 25, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    Thank you Kate for such a warm and loving tribute to my Mum. I would never have known this existed had it not been for Ines finding it and us talking yesterday.
    I know that Mum treasured you and Ros as extra daughters and your Mum’s unfailing friendship helped her through many dark hours.
    Love you. x

    Reply
    • admin says

      November 3, 2011 at 1:54 pm

      You are welcome Liz and thanks for your kind words – your Mum touched many peoples’ lives in an amazing way…xx

      Reply
  9. Tiger says

    January 9, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    Amazing Tribute, Thankyou x

    Reply

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