Denise Welch read out a self-penned ode to Lynda Bellingham at her funeral today (03.11.14).
The ‘Loose Women’ star delivered the poem she had written in memory of the late actress – who passed away in October, aged 66, after losing her battle with colon cancer – during a touching service at St Bartholomew’s Church in Crewkerne, Somerset, this afternoon.
Guests – who included Lynda’s close friend Christopher Biggins, who wore a pink suit because he "knew it would put a smile on her face" – flooded the church to pay their last respects to the well-loved star and broke out in applause following Denise’s heartfelt ode.
She said: "I’ll miss you Lynda very much as will everybody here
"There is no need to say how much you are loved, as today that is abundantly clear
"If you are looking down from wherever you are I am sure you will be having a hoot at the odd bods that loved you so dearly like Biggins in that bloody pink suit
"Your humour is what I will remember and the dirtiest laugh known to man."
In addition to a touching tribute from her sister, Lynda’s husband Michael Pattemore also shared details of his first encounter with his wife, which coincidentally was 10 years to the day as he spoke at the service.
He said: "This is going to be tough. While I was preparing this speech I wanted dates and times to be exact. What I discovered was devastating. It was on this very day 3 November 2004, 1.30 in the afternoon ten years ago that I first met Lynda.
"Can I go back to that day? I can remember that moment when we first met as if it was yesterday."
Her coffin – which was covered in white flowers – was carried by husband, her sons Michael and Robert and her stepson Bradley.
Among the mourners were her former ‘Loose Women’ co-stars Jane McDonald, Kate Thornton, Lisa Maxwell, Andrea McLean and Coleen Nolan, actress Maureen Lipman, ‘Coronation Street’ star Helen Worth and actor Michael Redfern – who played her on screen husband in the long-running series of Oxo adverts for which she became synonymous with.
The service was led by Lynda’s friend, the former Archdeacon of London Peter Delaney MBE, and Maxwell gave a reading of The Epistle to the Romans, while ‘Only Fools And Horses’ star Sue Holderness read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116.
Lynda had asked her spouse Michael to organise a funeral which was full of fun and he fulfilled her wish by creating a service that mimicked The Royal Variety Performance.
The actress was buried as fireworks were let off at her graveside in keeping with her wish that her friends and family "have a party when I’m gone".
Denise Welch’s self-penned ode to Lynda Bellingham
