MEMORIAL SERVICE

Charlotte Cooper memorial

Charlotte Cooper

16th March 1967 - 22nd April 2017

On Friday 6th October, 2017 at 4:30pm a service of thanksgiving for the life of Charlotte Cooper, Reuters journalist & trainer, was held at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street.
Download Order of Service (pdf)

Introduction

The Revd Canon Dr Alison Joyce delivered the opening:

Your orders of service are full of photographs of Charlotte, which capture the person she was: in those images her qualities shine out: her warmth; her intelligence; her marvellous sense of fun; and above all her wonderful, wonderful smile.

To lose someone as able, and gifted, and as greatly loved as Charlotte was – when she still had so much to live for and so much more to give – is devastating. All who knew her will be feeling the pain of her loss acutely.

But our task at this service is above all to give thanks. To give thanks for the wonderful person that she was; and to rejoice that the world was a richer place for her presence within it, and the lives of those around her the richer for having known her.

We remember today a woman of great beauty – both outwardly and inwardly; we give thanks for her modesty and her self-effacing nature – although we remember, too, a woman of great personal presence. We give thanks for her lifelong passion for journalism; for her belief in what she did; for her amazing gift for nurturing the talents of aspiring journalists. We give thanks for her professionalism, her determination and her independence of mind; for her creativity and imagination.

We remember, too, a woman of immense kindness, compassion, and generosity of heart; a woman with a tremendous gift for friendship. We give thanks for her wonderful laugh; and her wonderful smile.

Support us, O Lord, all the day long of this troublous life,
Until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes;
The busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over
and our work is done.
Then, Lord, in your mercy, grant us a safe lodging,
a holy rest, and peace at the last. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

Addresses

Phil Smith

Peter Keep

Belinda Goldsmith & Anne Senior

Kit Rees & Helen Reid

Reading

Andrew Gray read Proverbs 8: 2-16

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

The choir & organist of St Bride’s performed the following anthems and songs:-

Kyrie from Requiem – Duruflé

Crossing the bar – Parry

Jubilate Deo – Gabrieli

Fun, fun, fun – Wilson/Love arr. Morley

Bright side of the road – Morrison arr. Jones

Carillo-Sortie – Mulet

Hymns:

Immortal, Invisible

Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven

Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer

congregation sitting for service

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