MARJORIE BRAUND 1930-2009

Many of you who are reading this will have met Marjorie at the 2006-8 Weird Weekends. She was always to be found in the front row, often engaging in discussions of a seriously esoteric nature with the likes of Peter Robins.

She has been very ill with multiple cancers for a year now, and she finally died at 6:30 this morning. Corinna and I have visited her daily for several weeks as she struggled bravely through what was to be her final illness.

Since I first arrived in this village in July 1971 she has been like a second mother to me. During my bitter conflicts with my own parents she loved and supported me. When my father died she was there for me, and when I married Corinna I asked her and Corinna's mother to sign the register as witnesses.

When people die the obituary writers invariably say what a dear, kind person the deceased was even if they were actually a nasty piece of work. However, (and this is not obituary writer hyperbole) Marjorie was the sweetest, kindest and most loving person I have ever met. I never saw her angry. I never heard a cross word. I have always loved her dearly, and you don't stop loving someone just because they are dead.

I usually conclude obituaries by saying that my heart goes out to her family. However, in this case, though we have no biological connection, I truly feel that she is part of my real family, as are her daughters Kaye and Lorraine, her son-in-law Roy and her three grandchildren David, Ross and Greg. I love you all, my dears, and share in your immeasurable loss.