Helens Speech
Omi, you were many things to many people … Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister, Auntie, Friend, but when you chose to dedicate yourself to Renee you were officially given the title ‘special guardian’. The dictionary defines guardian as a defender, protector, or keeper, and throughout your life you took on these roles time and time again, so in fact you were already a ‘special guardian ‘.
There are a lot of things we’ll miss about you Omi. You were an amazing story teller for one … you loved to talk about your early life in pre-war Germany, about your birth place and the beautiful town surrounding it. You also seemed to really enjoy talking about your family struggles during the war, I think because you could see how captivated we all were. You told us how your mum stole vegetables from the neighbouring farmer for dinner and you laughed at how your youngest sister blurted out what Oma had done when the farmer questioned you all about it! You told us how you all shared the same pair of shoes throughout the day, using them early in the morning to wait in line for bread and then using them to go to school during the day. You talked of the journey you made to the UK where you started your new life and family despite being heavily pregnant and not speaking a word of English, and how your three children, Linda, Christine and Michael were at times the only reason you stayed here.
You had very few passions in life, but you openly loved gardening. Both front and back gardens in Elizabeth place were always pristine, lined with beautiful coloured flowers in the summer months and neatly trimmed in the winter. You also had a slight obsession with net curtains … thankfully something you no longer needed when you moved to the flat in Crouch End, where you lived happily for the last 24 years.
In 78 years of life you’ve left us all with many fond memories Omi; Christine remembers you dangling your feet off the helm of that buccaneer ship on holiday, simply enjoying the spray of the sea. She said you loo ed like a young lady In your 30’s again. Linda remembers you as always being there, Emma said you are a true legend and the rock of the family and Martin remembers you as strong, honest, hardworking and selfless. Hannah really enjoyed your visits to wales however she is convinced you only came to stock up on shoes from that specialist shop in the neighbouring town. Geisala says she will miss her best friend dearly, and talking in German during your mid-morning telephone conversations. I’m sure everyone here has their own special memories of you Omi. As for me you could silence me with a look making me feel like a child again, but I valued your opinion and approval no matter how old I got. You were strict, disciplined and straight to the point, but you made everyone feel safe. You were the head of our little family Omi, the Matriarch, and without you we are lost.
The best thing that you have left for us is your example; your meticulous desire to get things done, to always be well presented and well mannered. To do what is best no matter how hard. To be selfless and dignified, and as I know for sure that you wouldn’t have wanted to end your days without your ‘faculties’ or mobility, I take comfort in the fact that you left us swiftly and in little pain. In doing so you have given us the great gift of remembering you as you deserve, a strong, gracious, brave woman, capable of anything and wanting of nothing.
All that Is left for me to say now is thank you Omi. Thank you for always being there. Thank you for always putting us first. Thank you for dedicating your entire life to your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We owe you ourselves and we will miss you more than you will ever know.
Sleep now and rest eternal. We love you Omi. Schlafe yetzt cont ruher fuer immer. Vier lieben dich Omi.
(Schlafe jetzt und Ruhe fur immer. Wir lieben dich)