Tribute from Shelia Wright – The Last Ten Years

Ten years ago Keith and I moved into the house next to Dick and Liz's in Buckland Newton. Apparently Dick and Liz had been understandably concerned about what sort of new neighbours they would get and were convinced they would end up with the neighbours from Hell. Liz told me some months later that she was in her garden when we had all the windows open and the radio playing while we were decorating our new home.

She rushed in to tell Dick "We're OK, they listen to Classic FM." Since then we have been called by Liz and Dick - affectionately I hope - the neighbours from Hell.

This shared love of music became the basis of a firm friendship between Liz and Dick, and Keith and me. The four of us became regulars at the
Bournemouth Symphony concerts and many other musical events that were happening locally. Liz had a wide ranging appreciation of music, but I
think it's true to say that opera and choral music were her passions.

She was able to indulge these passions to the full during a weekend the four of us spent at Northern Opera's home in Salford Quays where we saw three operas in two days.

A few years ago Liz and Dick invited us to go to Prague with them and we shared an apartment in the old town. The week turned into a musical marathon with Dick and Liz guiding us round the many concert and opera venues in the city, always making sure we arrived in time for a glass of champagne before the performance began. It was a wonderful week of music and fun and one that we shall always remember.

Back home in Buckland Newton we often spent an evening together enjoying a new cheese we had discovered or sampling some good wine that Liz and Dick had invariably found on sale during their Thursday night forays in Waitrose. When Dick installed the hot tub we had the added wonder of the night sky and, of course, opera in the garden. Rarely a week went by without Liz and I meeting at the fence between our gardens to exchange a new disc, information about an upcoming concert, or simply to have a chat.

I saw a different aspect of Liz's character when she became ill and was later diagnosed with cancer. She had a quiet determination and was up for the fight. I know many of us here today will remember a Sunday afternoon in late June this year when Dick and Liz organised a superb party in their lovely garden to celebrate Liz's birthday, twenty one years in the village and their joint retirement. Liz looked wonderful and obviously really enjoyed the day - and the evening, when most of us were wilting!

I visited Liz many times during the last few months and she was always eager to hear village news and to show me the latest photographs of her two grandchildren, carefully pushing her own problems into the background.

Those visits were very special to me, because, although Liz and I both knew that she was seriously ill, we were totally at ease with each other and enjoyed each other's company.

This is a very sad day for Keith and me because we are saying our final goodbye to Liz, but it's also a day when we all share wonderful memories of her and we are here together with Dick and his family to celebrate her life.

I am so grateful to Dick for giving me this opportunity to pay my personal tribute to my friend Liz.