It is a source of great pleasure to me that I am able to officiate at this service today to return thanks to Almighty God for Dorothy’s life. How different today is from most of the occasions at which I am the officiant in this chapel, for today I have not simply been told about Dorothy as I usually am by loved ones and family; today, I know that we are thanking God for a lovely delightful and caring lady who I have known for only five of her 93 years but nonetheless long enough to know of her goodness.

Mind you, had I not known her there would have been no shortage of people to commend her to me for she has been so well known and renowned in Bognor for so many years that many would have had much to say of her and all of it would have been of good report. Dorothy was in fact born in Torquay. She met Jack there and after they had both trained as teachers they married and came to Bognor in 1934 after a couple of years in village schools. Jack became headmaster of South Bersted and then of our own parish school, Nyewood, which was then in Richmond Avenue. She grew to love Bognor and loved to boast about it - especially our extreme weather -tornadoes and the like - that other, lesser places never experienced. She had a lifelong passion for music and was a founder member of the Bognor Recorded Music Society which still flourishes today. In school and parish Jack and Dorothy soon became something of a legend and foundation stones of parish life. Both sustained their lives by a deep sacramental faith and both have been examples of the very best than can be achieved in Church of England Parish life.

Dorothy, of course, would be horrified to hear me say that. For while she had that very deep faith she would have deplored being put in the limelight or having any fuss made about her which is why we are here, we small group and not in St Wilfrid’s which would, I am sure, have been full of people wishing to give thanks for the many ways in which God has enriched their lives by the life of Dorothy Mohan. But that would not have been Dorothy’s style or wish. Here or not we are sustained by the love and prayers of all those people as we gather here this afternoon. Here are some words from just two of them. First of all from Melanie (Daphne Jones‘ daughter) - a letter to Ruth on Dorothy’s death..

‘I count myself very lucky to have been at .Nye wood with your father as headmaster and your mot her teaching sometimes, and I know of many ex pupils who feel the same. Having taught in many schools myself now I have seem a good selection of heads and experienced the atmosphere of schools but none come up to the feeling and ethos of the school )`our parents managed to achieve.’

And from Paul (unable to be here today’.) She was the best grandmother anyone could wish for. And with all this talk of Church and School we mustn’t forget family. Dorothy and Jack were always interested in their children’s doings. South America was too far to visit Peter, though they would have liked to. Ruth in Iran was a bit nearer and they visited her twice, travelling overland by the newly re-opened Orient Express, the second time staying for three months and becoming part of the community - so much so that the Bishop in Iran offered them a job if they cared to stay on

In recent years Dorothy eventually came to live in Abbeyfield where she has remained a faithful communicant both in the house and at St. Wilfrid’s when well enough and only really had three or four days serious illness right at the end. So Iaus Deo! What a wonderful life we celebrate and bless God for today. May she rest in peace and rise in glory!

Thine be the glory

O Lord my God

O praise ye the Lord

Fr. Roger Calder