Beginning suggestion: In English the meaning of the name ‘Ian’ is strong and someone that evokes charm and fancy. Dad was strong, a fighter who gave everything his all and could turn on the ‘charm’ whenever he needed to.
Love of family and our pets! (Lou) – proud Dad, proud Grandad – proud husband. Proud in general.
House proud (Kirk)- loved his home, welcomed anyone in (social butterfly) Proud of all our houses and the fact he’d been involved in making them better!
Gardening (Kirk) – the good life, love of flowers, green house, his grass and food (King of the barbecue and loved mum’s cooking).
Travel (Lou) – Loved to go places – would always talk of his travels. Loved watching Race Across the World and his love of ‘travelling in a car- always the designated driver/taxi driver for everything. Proud of his cars! Always took that yellow folder on holiday with him.
Love of music (Claris) (although not sure about taste) – loved that we could all place music and loved hearing us. Whistling constantly!
Dad enjoyed listening to music. Growing up if he wasn’t listening to the sport on 5-live, we as kids would endure the sounds of the Nolan Sisters ‘I’m in the mood for Dancing’, Celine Dion or Elaine Page.
He enjoyed musicals and we we’re lucky enough as a family to go and watch several Andrew Lloyd Weber performances – especially if Elaine Page was in it. He actively encouraged Lou, Kirk and me to learn to play an instrument and always enjoyed hearing us play and actively encouraged his grandchildren to learn to play an instrument too.
Despite not playing a musical instrument himself, he was very good at whistling and would often be heard whistling a tune or two.
Sport (Claris) – Pompey, golf (Captain Farnham Gold Club), cricket, table-tennis, horse racing, boat race – always had sport on the TV and listened to it in the car/radio.
His other passion was sport and his love for sport was never ending. Growing up he was always there to take us, watch us and enjoy our love for sport. From swimming, gymnastics, horse riding, tennis and running – you name it he was there and a very proud parent. He was also very proud of mum and would often share memories of her running achievements to spur us on.
He himself enjoyed playing football, cricket and later in life took to playing table tennis. When he packed-up the bats he turned his attention to golf and became a member of Farnham Golf Club. He shared this passion with mum, and they had many a golfing weekend or holiday playing together.
He also enjoyed swimming – up until the last few years he would swim 2-3 times a week taking well-earned breaks in the sauna. This ritual continued whilst on holiday and every afternoon he would take to the pool to earn his evening meal.
He loved cricket too and despite having a Surrey postcode he was a die-hard Hampshire fan and spent many a day at the Rose Bowl. He also enjoyed many a cricket game in the garden with the family – if you didn’t ruin his grass which at times looked like Wembley!
In his later years, if he wasn’t at Fratton Park (or even Wembley) he’d be watching sport on the TV or listening to it on his radio.
He was the one you’d visit, phone and report back to about any of your sporting achievements. He always wanted to hear about how Daniel, Harry and Bea were doing on the football pitch, Millie’s swimming achievements, Alfie’s Scouting and climbing adventures and Betsy’s gymnastics. He was very proud of them all and championed all that they achieved to anybody and everybody.
I don’t have to tell anyone here that Dad had the colour blue running through his veins. He was ‘Portsmouth till I die’. I’m sure everyone here today can remember on more than one occasion a conversation with Dad/Grandad about Pompey and has heard the word ‘PUP or ‘Play up Pompey’. I was just 8 years old when Mum agreed that it was OK for him to take me to my first match. Dad then asked me that big question – who do you want to support? Of course, I was never ever going to say Scumhampton…
I’m sure many of us here today have enjoyed a visit to ‘Fortress Fratton’ or perhaps endured but treasured none the less. His Pompey family in the North Stand, F Section and row L & K will also miss his rants at the referee and linesmen and Dad ever being the optimist. Fratton Park won’t be the same without him.
General memories (All of us) – love of a committee, timekeeping, going to bed sign, feel better by taking Anadin and having a cold shower.
Strong Character (Lou) – he was strong until the end, never moaned about a cut, gash or fall through the green house! He was generous with his time, company and money but worked hard. He was a grafter. If he got mad at you or anyone he would say his piece and then it would be forgotten about. If he met someone once, he would always be remembered. But he did everything his way…
End suggestion:
Even though cancer changed Dad over the last three years, he still remained the great character that we all knew and loved. He adored his family, his wife, his daughters and his grandchildren, yet also genuinely loved his three son-in-laws.
As a Grandad he will always be treasured and remembered – a true inspiration with a good crop of hair and a mass of gold in his heart.
He will forever be appreciated and celebrated because he always seemed to make life better in his own unique way – whether it was with his wisdom, storytelling, presence or general appreciation for life.
Rest in peace Dad – Play up Pompey.
Order of service – from Craig
Outline Order of Service for the Funeral of Ian Nicholas Anscombe
The Arrival – the coffin is processed in. All to stand.
Gathering Prayer:
May God bless you and keep you;
May God make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
May God lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.
[A reminder to switch off or silence mobile phones]
O God, we give thanks for the gift of Ian Nicholas Anscombe: husband, father, grandfather, [etc: please let me know] and dear friend to live among us and to touch our lives with his loving presence.
We, his family and friends who loved him dearly are gathered here to give him back to you, whose love for him is greater than ours can ever be.
We stand here at the beginning of his new life to send him forth surrounded by our love. Increase our faith and comfort our sorrow and allow your peace to fill our hearts.
Amen.
Poem: He is gone – a poem by David Harkins read by Chris Saunders
He is gone
You can shed tears that he is gone
Or you can smile because he has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember him and only that he is gone Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
The Eulogies
Richard Anscombe – his brother.
Louise Dixon and Claire-Marie Lamport – Ian’s daughters.
A Time for Reflection: ‘Memories’ – Elaine Paige
Poem: Our Father kept a Garden read by Kirstie Manning – Ian’s daughter.
Our Father kept a garden.
A garden of the heart;
He planted all the good things,
That gave our lives a start.
He turned us to the sunshine, and encouraged us to dream:
***
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rain came,
He protected us enough;
But not too much because he knew
We would stand up strong and tough.
***
His constant good example,
Always taught us right from wrong;
Markers for our pathway
That will last a lifetime long
We are our Father’s garden,
We are his legacy.
***
Thank you Dad, we love you.
Prayers – for the family in their sorrow.
The Lord’s Prayer
Blessing
May the light of God pierce the darkness of your grief.
May the love of God lift your spirits and gladden each day.
May the peace of God fill your hearts and comfort your sorrow.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand, and bless you always.
The Committal ‘We let you go’ by Ruth Burgess.
– Prayed together by all present
Let us commend Ian to the mercy of God, our maker and redeemer:
Into the freedom of wind and sunshine
we let you go.
Into the dance of the stars and planets
we let you go.
Into the wind’s breath and the hands of the star maker
we let you go.
We love you, we miss you, we want you to be happy;
go safely, go dancing, go running home.
Play up Pompey! Claire-Marie Lamport
Departure: ‘We are Sailing’ – Rod Stewart
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