FREDA....MY FRIEND


THIS LADY WAS A ONE OFF, NOTHING EVER GOT HER DOWN,
SHE LEFT HER IMPRINT ON THE HEARTS OF ALL HER FRIENDS.
SHE DIDN'T DRINK, SHE DIDN'T SMOKE,BUT SHE COULD TAKE A JOKE,
AND TO THE CHAPEL THAT SHE LOVED SHE WAS A GODSEND.

SHE WAS CLEANER, SOMETIMES CARETAKER AND KEEPER OF THE KEYS,
SHE WORKED TIRELESSLY AND NEVER ONE FOR GRUMBLING,
EXCEPT FOR REV. MORRIS WHEN HIS SERMON WAS TOO LONG,
HE'S LIKE NON STOP WALTER, YOU'D HEAR HER MUMBLING.

YOU COULD SEE HER EVERY HARVEST TIME COLLECTING FRUIT AND VEG,
TESCO CARRIER BAGS FULL OF BEANS AND PEAS,
ONIONS AND APPLES, CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND PEARS,
BY THE TIME SHE REACHED THE CHAPEL, SHE WAS ALMOST ON HER KNEES.

BUT FREDA HAD A FETISH, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW THAT,
AND FOR THIS FETISH SHE WOULD BUST A GUT,
SHE HAD SHOES IN WARDROBES, SHOES IN DRAWERS, AND
UNDERNEATH THE STAIRS,
SHE WAS OUR OWN IMELDA MARCUS OF STAIRFOOT.

SHE WAS A LADY ON A MISSION, AND GENEROUS TO A FAULT,
BUT SHE'D A TENDENCY TO LOSE THINGS NOW AND THEN,
SHE LOST HANDBAGS, KEYS AND GLASSES, AND ONCE HER OWN FALSE TEETH,
WHEN THE HOUSE WAS IN A TUR,OIL, THE CHAPEL KEYS WERE LOST AGAIN.

SHE TURNED UP ONE DAY AT THEIR JEFFERYS FRONT DOOR,
COMPLETE WITH TESCO CARRIERS FULL OF SHOPPING,
SHE SAID,''I'M GOING TO BE ARRESTED, DO YOU THINK THEY'LL LOCK ME UP,
COS I'VE GONE UN LOST MI' RENT BOOK, SO AM AFRAID I'LL NOT BE STOPPING.

THE KIDS AT SCHOOL ALL LOVED HER, THEIR FAVOURITE DINNER LADY,
HER SENSE OF HUMOUR KEPT THEM ALL AMUSED,
SHE'D TELL THEM TALES OF BYGONE DAYS, AND STORIES OF STAIRFOOT,
IF YOU ASKED HER FOR A FAVOUR, SHE NEVER COULD REFUSE.

SHE LOVED TO SHOP AND COULDN'T RESIST A BARGAIN,
SHE LOVED SCARBOROUGH AND NIGHTS THERE WITH HER MATES,
SHE'D SAY TO HER FRIEND AUDREY,''WE HAVE BUS PASS ,WE CAN TRAVEL,
COME ON LETS GO TO DONCASTER, COME ON LETS CELEBRATE''.

IF YOU HEARD A RENDITION OF ''OUR MARYS BONNET''
YOU COULD BET OLD FREDAS NOT SO FAR AWAY,
SHE'D A TENDENCY TO NATTER, OVER THINGS THAT DIDN'T MATTER,
BUT WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR HER CHAPEL EVERY DAY.

YES! SHE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HER WARMTH AND FRIENDLINESS,
HER GENEROSITY, HER LOVE THAT KNEW NO END,
GOD HAD HIS NEW CARETAKER, BUT WE ALL HAVE OUR MEMORIES,
OF THIS LADY, I WAS PROUD TO CALL MY FRIEND........

By Sheila Betts.


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