Pat Murphy RIP

Sadly we heard today that Pat Murphy died in hospital yesterday.  He was 75 years of age.  Pat and his lovely wife loyally attended most of our Reunions until ill health made the logistics virtually impossible.  Nevertheless they both attended a couple of relatively recent gatherings at Farnborough.  Please pray for the repose of the soul of Pat and for his lovely wife Rita, at this very sad and difficult time.

The funeral will be on Friday 08 December at 1030 in the Aldershot Crematorium Chapel.  This is just off Lower Farnham Road from where it is signposted and near Black Water Valley Road (A331).

For those who may wish to send a card to Rita and her family, her address is:

"Rubezahl" 

Brockley Gardens

Fleet

 Hants

QU13 9BU 

The last time that Pat was able to join us, with Rita his wife behind the wheelchair, outside St John Bosco House, the home for retired Salesians in the South.  Fr Sean and Fr Jim in the group.

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On Friday, 08DEC2006 we said our final goodbyes to Pat.  The Chapel was full to overflowing and Father Sean conducted a marvelous service for Pat and his family and friends.  Fr Sean was delighted to see the number of Blaisdon Old Boys who had attended.  He told the congregation that this Blaisdon Brotherhood was something really special.  How even after 50 years since leaving Blaisdon Hall there were nine  attending to say farewell to Pat.

These were; Charles Springett, Blaisdon President, Brother Alan Garman SDB, Brother Joe Adams SDB, Charles Calder, Sammy and Maggie Hayes, Peter Lansborough, Pat Young, Eric Nutcher and John Ward.  Most of these had come considerable distances to be with Pat and his family at this sad time.  One came over from the Isle of Wight.  Father Sean himself had come down from Bootle, Lancs to perform this last service for Pat.  For good measure in the Horn Pub we sang the Salesian School Song, not once but twice to the amazement and amusement of those around.  We felt Pat would be singing along with us.  

Father also mentioned that the Old Boys had produced a Book on memories of their time at Blaisdon and of their time at previous institutions and flashed a copy he had with him.  This resulted in quite a number of the family and friends asking to buy a copy  of the book to learn a little more about Pats experiences and what had made this Brotherhood so special.