Hi Tony: I don't know if you heard that my mom, Phyllis Punnett, died on
Hi Tony: Here is the eulogy given at Mom's funeral, which
you certainly have my permission to post on your web site. At the end of
the eulogy is one of her poems which was read at the
funeral by Canon Hoskins Huggins. Take care, Andrea.
Eulogy for Phyllis Joyce McClean Punnett
Given by
“Phyllis Joyce McClean Child Punnett” – an impressive name for an impressive lady! Fifty years ago, however, when a little boy named
Lester, her nephew, came to live with Ken and Phyllis and go to school in
Now that you have gone to be with your beloved husband, Ken, I
feel glad for you, but there is so much we are going to miss. When I first met you at the
I quickly learned that your husband and your children were the
center of your existence. You were a protective force,
determined to ensure their absolute safety and well-being at all times. You were always there for them,
and for all their cousins and friends when the need arose.
We remember your devotion to keeping an
orderly home - your routine Thursday morning shopping in the Supermarket, and
having everything ready for the weekend.
One day, when you were very rushed getting home from town, and hurrying
to get everything put away in the kitchen before lunch, you discovered your car
keys were missing. We looked EVERYWHERE,
but they were nowhere to be found.
Finally, someone asked, “Gou, have you looked in the freezer?” - and sure enough, there were the car keys, in the freezer,
nestled right next to the frozen chicken.
You were so frustrated, and so amused at the same time.
Your niece, Elizabeth, sent Andrea an
e-mail soon after we heard that you had left us. She said:
“I will remember the oh so happy times at your home...
the jokes and the laughter, the music, and of course the food....
the desserts!!!
……. sitting around that table for ages just talking,
long after the meal was over -
Oh heavens! Gou was so patient and so sweet to us....
through all the teenage dramas ……...
what a precious mother you had.
We will remember her with great affection.”
Yes.
Loving, affectionate, caring, devoted, protective and generous - all
terms that can be appropriately applied to you, but you were so much more than
that. You were a teacher, and taught
Math at the Girls’ High School. You had
such a great love for poetry and music, and gave such enjoyment to others when
you played the piano. You were a poppy
seller for the Red Cross. You helped
with flowers for the Church altar, and you were very involved with the Children’s
Of course, you also wrote the words for
Jesus said that we would know a tree by
its fruit. Good fruit comes from a good
tree. Ever since I came into your family
I have been surrounded by good fruit:
Your children,
Paddy and Andrea, of course.
Your Grand Children, Michelle, James, Sophie and Kate
on Paddy’s side; Nicole, Patrick and Philip on Andrea’s side. Then there are your Great Grand Children,
Michelle’s Kai and little Anya – who sadly left us
before you did. James’
girls, Emily and Rebecca, and Nicole’s little Gabriel. And I am sure there will be more. The seeds planted by you and Ken have borne a
good crop, amply watered many times over by your generosity and love.
I was particularly touched by the relationship
you had with your husband. Your attention to his needs, your caring for him, were examples
of love that I take strength from to this day.
When he came home from work, you immediately would make sure he had a
cup of tea. You would sit with him and
talk. We would join in. Even when you had begun to lose the sense of
years and dates, you were so attentive to Ken.
I remember one evening, after the sun was down and we were sitting all
together at home in the patio, Ken in his wheel chair and you by his side, you
obviously went way back to an earlier time.
You said to him, your husband of almost sixty years then, “Ken, it’s
getting late. How are you going to get
back home?” He looked at you with great
understanding and compassion and said, “Don’t worry, Phyl,
I’ll take the bus.” You were perfectly
satisfied with the answer.
Over the last few years we have missed
your conversation, your letters, your wit, your wonderful poetry, and we have
had to make do with your quiet presence instead. It was sad seeing you gradually slip away,
but even so you gave us time to adjust and to say goodbye. We were not really prepared when you left,
but no one ever is. So many memories
remain – wisps of conversation, expressions, laughter, things we would like to
have with us still, but which are now yours alone, until we meet again.
May God bless you and keep you, and your beloved husband, in the
arms of Jesus, in that eternal
We love you. We thank you
for loving us, and we’ll miss you.
From a
selection of poems by Phyllis Punnett