Eulogy for Uncle Johnnie delivered by William Forde
John Fanning : Born in Clonmel, Ireland : November 4th, 1932. Died March 4th, 2011.
Uncle Johnnie’s Eulogy: St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church: Thursday, March 17th, 2011: 10am.
Home Address: 2, St.John Street, Brighouse. HD6 1HN : 01484 712679 : Priest: Father Fitzgerald.
Good morning,
As the eldest Forde, I have been asked to say a few words about ‘Uncle Johnnie’ on behalf of the family. The request came from Uncle Johnnie himself, a few days before he died.”Don’t forget to tell them that I was a much travelled man, Billy, ” he said.
Firstly, my deepest commiserations go out to his daughters, Karen and Joanne. I also thank all of you for coming to say ‘farewell’ to Johnnie and to Father Fitzgerald for his help in this matter.
Uncle Johnnie was an enigmatic man who rarely revealed his innermost thoughts. During his pilgrimage to England he held out much promise, but sadly in his later years, he became a refugee of permanent regret.
Uncle Johnnie was an enigmatic man who rarely revealed his innermost thoughts. During his pilgrimage to England he held out much promise, but sadly in his later years, he became a refugee of permanent regret.
Like all the young able-bodied Irish men of his day, prosperity beckoned across the sea in the heart of England. Like all refugees to a foreign land, Uncle Johnnie duly arrived on the doorstep of his oldest sister, her husband and their seven children and was accommodated in their three-bed roomed house for the next seven years.
The Forde family moved to their new house on Windybank Estate when I was 8-years-old, and for the first time in my life I had my own bed to sleep in. I hadn't however, counted on my mother’s generosity in providing accommodation to my Uncles, Willie, Johnnie and Tommy in succession over the next fifteen years.
Uncle Willie had arrived at my mother’s house and stole my bed. No sooner than he’d left, Uncle Johnnie turned up with no job and empty pockets and stole it again: forcing me to spend another few years sleeping between my sisters Mary and Eileen in their bed. Meanwhile, his 14-year old brother, Tommy, was back in Portlaw ready to take Johnnie's place in my bed some 6 years later. I therefore gave up waiting for my own bed and emigrated to Canada to try my luck there.
Uncle Willie had arrived at my mother’s house and stole my bed. No sooner than he’d left, Uncle Johnnie turned up with no job and empty pockets and stole it again: forcing me to spend another few years sleeping between my sisters Mary and Eileen in their bed. Meanwhile, his 14-year old brother, Tommy, was back in Portlaw ready to take Johnnie's place in my bed some 6 years later. I therefore gave up waiting for my own bed and emigrated to Canada to try my luck there.
Before he’d been in England long, Uncle Johnnie was fast becoming the ‘mad man' about town. He secured himself a well-paid job in Brighouse which involved lots of travelling and much socialising that took him away from his home a lot. He was in effect the Don Draper of the 1950s. He was one of the first men of his day to acquire his own motorbike followed by a car, and armed with extremely good looks, the smooth tongue of an Irish man and a pocket full of coin, he always had a beautiful woman on his arm.
Then, along came Susan; the most beautiful woman of them all, and his life seemed complete. The couple married and had two daughters, Karen and Joanne and secured a beautiful house in Rastrict, Brighouse. They are seen here with Grandmother and Grandfather Fanning; his parents.
Then, as often happens, the sweet smell of success began to inflict its sting. Too much drinking, travelling and socialising started to sour the marriage and eventually it collapsed. The collapse of his marriage started the slow and sad decline of Uncle Johnnie’s health, happiness and disposition over the ensuing years, during which time my mother, Maureen and her seven children never once abandoned him.
Then, as often happens, the sweet smell of success began to inflict its sting. Too much drinking, travelling and socialising started to sour the marriage and eventually it collapsed. The collapse of his marriage started the slow and sad decline of Uncle Johnnie’s health, happiness and disposition over the ensuing years, during which time my mother, Maureen and her seven children never once abandoned him.
Uncle Johnnie, like many before him, truly began to appreciate the value of the love he’d lost in the collapse of his marriage, after he’d lost it. All of his efforts to have ‘a second chance’ with Susan came to nothing, and he initially sought refuge in his work and alcohol. When he eventually lost his job, a part of him lost the will to carry on. Then, Susan died a number of years later and his relationships with his daughters became strained. From that moment on, he sought a life of refuge in permanent regret. When Susan died, I believe that he also started to die inside.
Uncle Johnnie, we all love you, and we wish you eternal peace. Your life in West Yorkshire started with the seven of your nieces and nephews all those years ago. It was only fitting that it ended with the seven of us keeping watch in turn around your death bed during the last three weeks of your life.
Uncle Johnnie, we all love you, and we wish you eternal peace. Your life in West Yorkshire started with the seven of your nieces and nephews all those years ago. It was only fitting that it ended with the seven of us keeping watch in turn around your death bed during the last three weeks of your life.
As I was composing this eulogy, I began to wish that Uncle Johnnie had been offered one more ‘second chance’ to put things right many years ago when he lost the love of Susan. Had he been offered ‘a second chance’ one last time, I would like to think that he might have seized it with both hands.
Then, I remembered that God gives us all ‘a second chance’ many times over and it pleases me to believe that Uncle Johnnie may be benefiting from such an opportunity now. Goodbye Johnnie. God bless you. We all love you. And I hope you are at last sleeping in your own bed!
Postscript:
On Saturday, June 23rd, 2012 at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Portlaw, County Waterford, Billy and Sheila, Mary and Richard, Eileen and John, Peter, Linda and daughter Kathryn, Michael, Susan and daughter Evie attended the graveside of my Grandparents and Uncle Willie, where Uncle Johnnie's ashes were buried by the Fr. Ned Hassett. The brief service is recorded below at which my brother Peter said the final words of 'Goodbye' to Uncle Johnie.
Then, I remembered that God gives us all ‘a second chance’ many times over and it pleases me to believe that Uncle Johnnie may be benefiting from such an opportunity now. Goodbye Johnnie. God bless you. We all love you. And I hope you are at last sleeping in your own bed!
Postscript:
On Saturday, June 23rd, 2012 at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Portlaw, County Waterford, Billy and Sheila, Mary and Richard, Eileen and John, Peter, Linda and daughter Kathryn, Michael, Susan and daughter Evie attended the graveside of my Grandparents and Uncle Willie, where Uncle Johnnie's ashes were buried by the Fr. Ned Hassett. The brief service is recorded below at which my brother Peter said the final words of 'Goodbye' to Uncle Johnie.
Copyright William Forde March 4th, 2011.
