Allotments 4 All

It is with great regret that I have to tell you that 'Grandma' passed away suddenly yesterday at the age of only 68.

I know that without question she would have wanted me to express her heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you and to the group as a whole for being so welcoming and for being the window to the world of gardening that she loved so much.

'Grandma', Val, or Mum as my Sister and I knew her, had nothing but great things to say about this group and I know that it, and it's members, helped her through illness and sadness of her own over the years.  She thought of you all as friends and I thought it only fitting to share with you the happiness that you brought her over her 6 years with the group.

If it is acceptable to the moderator, I would very much like to check back in from time to time over the next week and perhaps if anybody who considered her a friend would care to leave a comment, I would be pleased to include a selection at the funeral service.

We thank you personally, and on behalf of our Mum. - God rest her soul.

Daren and Diane.
(Son & Daughter of our very much missed 'Grandma')

Thank you so much for taking the time to let everyone here know. You must all still be in shock yet took the time to think of others. Do take care of each other at this sad time
Rach xxx

Oh thats sad, thoughts with you and all your familys, be strong.

So sorry to hear this, my deepest condolances to you, and your family.
   June

very sorry to hear this, my deepest sympathies to you all at this sad time.

I am so sorry to hear this, what a shock it must have been for you.  I never met your Mum but she came across as a very caring person and she will be sadly missed here.
My sincere condolences to you and all your family.

Very sad news indeed, Grandma was very much part of our family here on A4A and will be sadly missed. I remember when she knitted the rainbow jumpers in her Avator and said how much I liked them, she only offered to knit me one, that's what a great girl she was. She be tending them flowers upstairs as we speak, all the best to you and your family.
Kev.    :-*

So sorry to hear your sad news, We'll be thinking of you all

My condolences to you both and all other members of Grandma's family and friends. Thank you for posting here to let us know.

Daren & Diane, at such a sad time thank you for taking the time to let us know your tragic news. Thinking of you all. Janet.

So sad to hear about Grandma passing. We will miss her so very much.Please accept our sincere condolences

I am sure many people will be saddened to hear this news. The only blessing is that your Mum is not likely to have suffered.
Grandma was a loved and respected member of this forum and I am sure that everyone will be very grateful to you for letting us know.
I  cannot see that there will be any problem with you signing on here to read the posts that I am sure will come in over the next few days.
I also admired the jumpers,  I am sure that you will treasure them along with the happy memories that you have of your mum.
xx Anne

She has been a lovely and lively member of this forum. Dear to us all. She will be very much missed. Our warmest thoughts are with her family at this difficult time. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us. And what Pumpkinlover said....

I dont recall her ever posting anything that was less than generous to other members here - she will be missed by us all.  
I was just "talking" to her about her PC just last week..
I really dont think any of the mods mind you popping back in to check up on the thread - in fact I'm sure we are all touched by your kind words...

I, as one among many, will miss Grandma greatly.

Such a young age to be wandering off to help with the Big Chap's gardening upstairs.

Thank you Daren & Diane for taking the time to let us know the sad news. I guess thinking of others is a trait Grandma passed on to you.

We were fortunate to have had her as an AVA member.

Please do keep in touch with us.
Aden.

Oh dear, what shame, we have shared a bit of banter over the last few years, but Grandma came across as a caring person with never a bad word for anyone. My condolences to the family in this sad time.

Such sad news. My condolences, and thanks for letting her family here know so quickly.
I've been looking back at her comments which were always sincere and upbeat. I'm sure that she'll be remembered with much affection by all of us.   

I too have looked over Grandmas comments,such a caring lady with a cracking sense of humour.
She'll be missed here.
Thinking of you in these difficult days .
Adele x

So sorry to hear this news. As others have said , she came across as alovely lasy with a great sense of humour. love to you all xx

Hello, Daren, Diane I like everyone on A4A send my condolences to yo both and all your family.  I read this poem years ago its by an unknown writer any way I am not very good on the typing but this for you both.                                                  My Mother kept a garden.                                                                                                                                                A  garden of the heart,                                                                                                                                                   She planted all the good things,                                                                                                                                 That gave us live to start.                                                                                                                                              She turned us to the sunshine,                                                                                                                                      And encouraged us to dream,                                                                                                                                        Fostering and Nurturing,                                                                                                                                                 The seeds of self esteem.                                                                                                                                              And when the winds and rains come,                                                                                                                              She protected us enough,                                                                                                                                              But not to much, she knew we,d,                                                                                                                                     To stand up strong and tough.                                                                                                                                         Her constant good example.                                                                                                                                            Always taught us right from wrong,                                                                                                                                 Markers for our pathway,                                                                                                                                                To last our whole life long.                                                                                                                                              We are my Mothers Garden.                                                                                                                                            We are her Legacy,                                                                                                                                                        And I hope today she feels the love,                                                                                                                                 Reflected back from both of us   Daren  Diane                                                                                                                  This is to say you are in all our thoughts sorry about the typing

Such sad news.  Daren & Diane my condolences to you both and your family.  Grandma was indeed a lovely lady and very much a part of the community here.  She will be missed and thank you for taking the time to let us know xx

This is such sad news.

Grandma only recently wished me a Happy Birthday on my Birthday thread but my special memory of her is the lovely PM she sent me when she won one of  the Christmas appeal pressies.She was a delightful lady.

Thinking of you all at this time x

What sad news, she was such a very well-liked and respected member; who had such a lovely way of sharing happiness and positive thoughts. She will be missed by us all. My deepest sympathies to you and all your family.

Such very sad news,my condolences to you both and your family,she will be sadly missed

Thank you for sharing you sad news with us..Granma was very much one of the 'regular' personalities here and will be missed. She was always very positive with everybody and came across as kind and caring person.
I'm sure she will still battle with her puter on otherside and keep her eye on all of us..
My condolences to you and hope best for you on this difficult time.

I would like to add my condolences as well. 

May I offer my condolences to you both and your families.  Thinking of you.

May

My condolences to you both and your family.

Oh no.  :'(
How very sad, and what a great loss to you, and us all.

Rest In Peace p'Grandma'.

sending you both a big hug from GazNjude on the sad passing of your dear mum(grandma)

Such sad news.  I'm not a great contributor on here anymore but still pop in now and again  for my 'fix'  She seemed such a lovely lady.  My condolences to you and the rest of her family.

So shocked and really saddened to hear this news. Like everyone else on this board I would like to offer my sincere condolences to you both and the rest of the family. A lovely woman who will be so missed on a4a. busy_lizzie  :(

I was sorry to hear such sad news about Grandma. She will be missed.

Duke

We're very sad to hear this news.  Grandma was always so cheerful and positive in everything she posted on Allotments 4 All.  She will be much missed.

John & Jean

Thank you for taking the time to post your sad news here. Grandma will be missed.

Thank you ever so much for thinking of us when you have so much else to think about.  I am so sorry to hear Grandma has passed away, we shall miss her but I hope wherever she is she has a nice new garden to tend.  I will be thinking of you and your families in the coming days, hold on to your lovely memories of her xx

My condolences to you and your family, we will miss our own little 'Rain Dancer' very much, such a lovely lady.

Oh my goodness, I am so very sorry, she will be very much missed on here by us all. How sweet of you to think to tell us,

God Bless you all

You know she never missed a birthday.

I have just read a personal message she sent me a little while ago and it was very caring..very special

Night Night Grandma

XX Jeannine

I felt so sad this morning when I woke up because I immediately thought of Grandma.  It's an amazing thing how we can be so connected with people we have never met, isn't it?

  It's an amazing thing how we can be so connected with people we have never met, isn't it?

You are so right Betty.

Been away and just found this. Such sad news. Condolences from me as well. Grandma will be missed.

My sympathy to you all, she was a great & generous lady.

Only met Grandma once, a really nice lady and full of fun and will be sadly missed, condolences to her family, from Pete down the road.

Thank you for letting us know your sad news and condolences to the whole family. With grateful memories of Grandma and, for my own part, of the way I was welcomed to this forum when I signed up just after my sister had died suddenly. It's the warmth of a real community that we have here and you are welcome to all the warmth we can offer you at this difficult time.

Spudbash  :)

 :'(   :'(   :'(
I am so very sorry to hear that, she was a kind poster and she will be sadly missed on the forum. You are very brave to take the time to write to us, and it's most appreciated by all the members. We are a great big grubby-handed family at heart!
My sincere condolences to you all.
Adrienne (Antipodes)

"Though nothing can bring back the hour
  Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
  We will grieve not, rather find
   Strength in what remains behind;"
William Wordsworth

Oh Daren and Dianne what a dreadful shock for you. I am so sorry to read your sad news about your lovely Mum and one of our dearest online friends.  :'( :'(Do go gently and take care of yourselves and all your families at this stressful time. Much love from us all xx

This is very sudden.  My condolences too.  Looking back through her posts, she was always positive and very kind.  Sad times.

Very sorry to hear such sad news. My condolences to you all.
Live with your beautiful memories, your Mum was a lovely kind generous lady.
With hugs & regards to you all.
Rosebud =Mary

I am sorry to hear such sad news, everyone has already said it all but your Mum was one of the nicest posters on here. Always quick with spotting the birthdays, always with a kind word for the sad.
Thank you for making time to let us know.
My condolences to all of you.

So sorry to hear about your dear Mum.  She was a lovely lady and will be missed on this forum.  

I send my love and sympathy to you and your family.
Pauline  xx

I am so sorry for your loss. 

Thank you for taking the trouble to tell us at such a difficult time.  You are a great credit to your Mum.

Love G x

Sorry to hear your sad news.

Just catching up today, so a bit of a shock to hear the sad news of your mum's death. She will be sadly missed on this forum, sincere condolences.... :'(

It was very kind of you to tell us about the sad news.   She will be a great loss to the site, a very nice lady.  My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time.

Such a shock to read this sad news. Please accept condolences from me.

Quote from: Emagggie on February 22, 2012, 20:10:36
Such a shock to read this sad news. Please accept condolences from me.

Maggie's written just what I wanted to.

Kind regards to you all,

Lishka

Daren
Thank you so much for taking the time to inform us of the passing of your mother.
I think we are all stunned at the sudden loss of a very lovely and generous lady who had a great sense of humour and was always there with kind words for others in their time of need.

I shall miss the lovely pictures of the flowers she used to post.

Daren and Diane please accept my condolences

Dave

I have been away for a week, I am so sorry to hear of the sad passing of Grandma. My sincere condolences to you both and all Grandma's family and friends.

Sat sitting next to me in an envelope that I have been keeping safe for weeks and weeks are a huge number of poppy seeds that Grandma sent to me in the Autumn last year.

Out of the blue a personal message arrived - a kind, thoughtful and special person had sent it.
We had never met and didn't know each other apart from reading each others posts on A4A. We discovered we were not too far apart in sunny Sussex.. just a few miles along the coast.

Grandma had been reading my ramblings and listening to my problems and following my efforts to move my two elderly parents to live opposite to where I live to make life easier for us all.

Val, 'Grandma', noticed too my comments about some glorious poppies that she had grown and contacted me to ask if I would like some seed.

How brilliantly kind - I wish that life had given us both a bit more slack. I would love to have said my thanks again and all the more so once those seeds have flowered but like Grandma they will bring a bit of beauty and wonder into our lives. Something truly special and to be admired.

A very great and sad loss.

so sad to hear of your loss     I too have some of her poppy seeds she so kindly sent so  part of her will still  grow on

only just seen this news, please accept my sincerest condolences

as aden roller posted above, i too have a letter from grandma sat in front of me with her poppy seeds in which she kindly posted with nothing required in return apart from to know how they turned out.

they will be grown in her memory this year !!

I to have some poppy seed she sent me ,I did not  know this was the same lady .well my poppies are all growing in trays in the greenhouse ,so when I plant them out in my garden. and my daughters garden's I will think of  Val ,grandma. and smile, because she shared her lovely flowers with me .
Rest in peace, Val
   June.

I too have found the Poppy seeds Grandma sent me, the unbelieveable Poppys she had were amazing, so it will be great to see these Poppys grow, a great reminder of  Grandma.   :)

*Daren and Diane please let us know how you are..... I'm sure there are many of us who would like to stay in touch with you.

Keep a look out for "Grandma's" poppies sprouting up in her garden and be comforted by the knowledge that a lot of us will be doing the same in our own gardens and thinking of her kindness and sharing, in some small way, your loss.

---

*"Daren" or "Darren"?

I didn't have any poppies when they were offered but  I really would like a few to plant in her honour.

Quote from: shirlton on March 07, 2012, 08:42:14
I didn't have any poppies when they were offered but  I really would like a few to plant in her honour.

If you send me your address I will happily stick a few in an envelope and send them off to you.

(Personal message please for the address - not on an open posting)  ;)

Thanks AR I have sent you a P.M.

Sorry Shirlton ,I cannot send you any seeds I have sown them all, maybe in the autumn when they set seed. if you remind me.
   June.

Diane and I would like to thank everybody for all of the lovely messages.

It has been extremely heart-warming to read all of the kind words about our Mum, and to know that she had so many wonderful friends within this group.

The service last Thursday (1st March) was obviously a very emotional time, but the sun shone for her and her life was celebrated by family and close friends. 

Diane and I wrote the eulogy and we included some of your messages and told how this group had brought her so much happiness.  One of your messages included the poem "My Mother kept a garden", which Diane adapted to "My Grandma kept a garden" and which was read out by Mum's 3 Grandsons.  They read a verse each and then the remainder together.  It was wonderful and I know that Mum would have been as proud of her boys as we were.

We also had a montage of photographs of Mum's life up on a large screen playing through as a slideshow and her garden featured heavily, including some great pictures of her poppies that have been mentioned so often in your messages. There were also plenty of pictures of her showing off her latest prize-winning catch at various angling competitions.

The atmosphere at the reception after the service was deliberately light-hearted which we know she would have wanted and I think that under the circumstances, the day was as pleasant as it could have been.

As some of you have commented, Mum had a lovely sense of humour and a big heart and we know that in time we will be able to remember her with a big grin on our faces, rather than with a tear in our eye, as is the case at the moment.  Somebody here questioned the spelling of my name (Daren, not Darren).  Mum said that one 'r' could save me up to 3 whole biros during the course of my life.

Unfortunately, the house that she had lived in since 1971 will soon have to be sold.  I very much hope that the new owners will love the garden as much as she did, although they may find a hole where once there was a clump of poppies! (I might be asking for advice on the best way to get said clump from her garden into mine)

Once again we would like to thank all of the members here who helped make this group such a happy place for Mum.  She really did have nothing but good things to say about you all. Thank you too for the wonderful supportive messages you have sent us, I have no doubt that she would have been as deeply moved as we are.

Also thank you very much to everybody who made a donation towards the facilities for the less-abled anglers.  Again, she would have been deeply moved and extremely grateful.

With very best wishes to you all.

Daren and Diane.

Thankyou for letting us know how the service went. Your Mom was very special lady as you know.You say that this group meant so much to your Mom. Myself and I'm sure many others many others will agree that this forum is a nice place to be. Its folks like your Mom that make it that way.

Thank you for sharing this with us,I Will think pf Grandma Val, when her poppies bloom , the best of luck to you all
    June.

Thank you for sharing your very personal moments of your Mums funeral.

It is a very strange thing this A4A group, no one can explain it, but we get very fond of folks we have never met and mourn with their relatives at times like this, we also share their joys and it would seem to me there was some joy mixed in with your sadness at the service. It was good to hear about it.

Your Mum was extremely kind to me and very supportive when I had a problem, she was a little younger than me but as she used the name Grandma that is how I thought of her. I never had a Grandma so it was particularly comforting to get e mails from someone who used that name.

Warm memories are a wonderful comfort and I know you must have a great many.

Take care and God Bless you.

Oh and you may like to know your Mums poppies bloom in Canada too. I don't have the room to grow flowers on my small lotties over here but we are situated in a park so the seeds were sown in our border gardens adjacent to me.

XX Jeannine

Quote from: shirlton on March 09, 2012, 15:54:53
Thankyou for letting us know how the service went. Your Mom was very special lady as you know.You say that this group meant so much to your Mom. Myself and I'm sure many others many others will agree that this forum is a nice place to be. Its folks like your Mom that make it that way.

Seconded by me!

                         Thanks Daren. 

Please do keep dropping in on us once in a while. I'm sure someone on here will be able to give good advice about moving poppies once they started to germinate. But... if they do fail let us know as there are a lot of us who will have seeds to send back to you come Autumn should you need them.  ;)

(I love your mum's reasoning for going with one "r"  ;D )

All the best to you both, I too love the biro story and might just nick that one.      :)