I have struggled to encapsulate all the John and Thelma have given me, taught me, meant to me over the past thirty years. Not only showing me 'the way' to faith and confirmation, but they saw my struggles and held out their arms of love, they saw me through what was almost homelessness and they opened the own home to me, my three teenagers and our dog! I discovered their love of playing cards and weekly I went to J&T's (as they became known in my family) to play - very rarely winning!! They saw my desparate pain and sadness and held my head above the waves with their love.

I have heard so much today at John's service and sat nodding my head in agreement. I think I can sum up John by recalling the first time I visited him in the nursing home shortly after Thelma died; I reminded him who I was and where I came from to which he said "Oh Kim, yes, how lovely to see you". He invited me to sit in the vacant chair and then said "would you mind just sitting there quietly as I am spending time with my Lord".