Wednesday 26 October 2011

Jo McGowran - Rest In peace

Dear bloggers

This is the post I didn't want to write and it is the post you did not want to be reading.

Jo fell asleep on Thursday 20th October and moved gracefully towards peace over Friday and Saturday before passing over at 5:30am on the 23rd October 2011.
To all her friends and colleagues thank you for the love you gave to jo over the years. Jo's mum, Jean, her son Peter and I have been comforted by all the warm and generous support offered to us over the last few days.

When the end came for Jo it cam very quickly. Following another stay in hospital at the start of October Jo was determined to have her 47th birthday at the Trafford Centre in Manchester indulging in her favourite past time, shopping. We spent all day there and Jo completed most of her Christmas shopping and had a great time. This was the 12th October and after the surgery of last year this was the birthday the medical professional told her she would not celebrate. The following day Jo was tired and on Friday became ill. Over the weekend Jo deteriorated and by Thursday 20th Jo fell asleep. Jo regained consciousness so that Pete and her could have one final conversation and on the Friday when one of her closest friends came to see her. After that Jo was at peace and pain free. At 5:30am on 23rd October Jo passed over.

We will be having a funeral service on Monday 31st October at 11:00 held at the Church that Jo loved so much, St. Mary's Church Windermere. There will be a private family burial after the service at the Glebe Cemetery in Bowness-on-Windermere followed by a funeral reception at the Burnside Hotel in Bowness. Jo will now be placed next to her beloved father, Peter Dyson, I've been able to secure the plot next to her Dad. Jo never got over the passing of her dad.

All the details of the service are posted on Jo's facebook page as an event. I also placed a notice on her facebook page on Sunday to inform the world of her passing and we have been overwhelmed by the number and heartfelt nature of the tributes that have been left.

It is my intention of collating all the wonderful tributes to Jo and publish them in a book to give to her mum and Pete and closets family and friends. I then plan to publish the tributes on this blog as a final posting that can be added to.

The blogosphere and her flock of followers were hugely important to Jo and I want to reward you all for all the love, happiness and support you offered to Jo over the years. Hence the final post will be a collection of tributes to Jo.

Jo felt her purpose in life was to be a light to others. The tributes received absolutely confirm that this purpose had been achieved. Jo's purpose now is to be the fuel that burns in lots of lights around the world. The blog community that you share is full of shining lights, now allow Jo's light to help your light burn brighter and carry on her work.

directions to the church can be found at the following website:
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/
and entering the postcode LA23 1BA.

Directions to the Burnside Hotel can be found at the following website:
http://www.burnsidehotel.com/

Can I ask that if you plan to attend please either RSVP on Jo's facebook page or email me at paul@lakelandpeopledevelopment.co.uk

Flowers only from family members please. Can I ask that instead of flowers you may consider making a donation to either St. John's Hospice (Lancaster) or to St. Mary's Church Windermere.

Please send any donations via the funeral directors, Edmondson Longmire Funeral Services, 3 Oak Street, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1BH, 015394 43427.

True to form Jo had a special request about her funeral service. let's make it as joyous a celebration of her life as possible. We will be adopting a tone to match this. As part of Jo's request please feel free to add a splash of colour to your clothing, and of course being Jo, if possible make that colour YELLOW. All this means is to add a little bit of colour, i.e. a tie, a handkerchief, a scarf etc. No need to be fully decked out in yellow. Of course, if you prefer to retain a more traditional approach we will totally respect your wishes. Jo's major regret was that she would not be there and would be denied the opportunity to give a speech. I'm sure Jo will be talking to us all on the day!

Already we are hearing that where friends cannot attend they are determined to be wearing something yellow on Monday as a tribute to Jo.

Yours

Other Half