Mac and Milly - The Service

mac and milly

the service - 10/10/2022

Members of The GFS were amongst the family and friends of Mac and Milly as we all bade them a last farewell. Dennis

and Debbie Lee, John and Gill Walley, Neville and Sylvia Roe and Kathryn and Peter Pollard were the members in question.

The service was an humanist service and totally appropriate for such a loving couple as Mac and Milly. The words spoken

by the humanist celebrant were really well chosen.

Mum and Dad

Composed by Mandy

The pain that I am feeling

Won’t seem to go away

I wish I could visit heaven

If only for a day.

I know you’d both hold me

And whisper in my ear

Don’t think of us as gone away

Because we are always near.

I’m glad that you’re together

At peace and pain free

Catching up with family passed

But still watching over me.

Although the door between our worlds

Is closed and we’re apart

Until the time it opens for me

You’ll both stay in my heart.

Eulogy

Mac came into this world on the 21st of May 1930, Dominic Walter McGee, born in Langham Street New Wortley - he was a son for John Patrick and Lena McGee, the second eldest of their six children. His brother Tommy passed away when he was young, he and Mac were admitted to hospital at the same time suffering from Diphtheria, sadly Tommy did not survive. After Mac came Terry, Eddie and Micky and Mac was already a young man when their sister Jackie came into the family, the youngest and the only girl naturally, all her big brothers just doted on her and spoiled her rotten, just how it should be! As he was growing up some people will have called him Walter but to most he was Mac. Dominic was merely his given name and what they called out when he went for appointments in later life. There wasn’t an awful lot to go around when Mac was a little boy, just getting by there wasn’t anything left over for luxuries and at times even necessities. A Bramley lad, Mac, his brothers and many of the kids in the local area were known as the bare feet kids, so you can see Mac’s family were not the only ones struggling at that time. But you must not think that his childhood was a miserable existence, they didn’t have much but his mum and dad were kind and loving and thought the world of their children. Even as a boy Mac understood the value of work. He helped with a milk round and had little jobs to bring in some money. Leaving school, he found a job that suited a lad before he was called up to do his National Service and went into the RAF. Being in the forces gave him some valuable skills and they taught him to drive. He liked his time in the forces and we know this because when he left - he joined the territorials with the RAF Parachute Regiment and continued with them for many, many, years. When he returned to civilian street Mac got a job as driver for a furniture removal company before he went to work for the Thrift Store in Kirkstall. Milly was born on the 26th of August 1929, her parents Annie and Frank Reynard named their little girl Mildred but a bit too formal for the people who loved her they knew her as Milly. Milly and her older brother Peter grew up in the York Road area. Peter was a wonderful big brother to Milly and they adored each other. They enjoyed a very happy childhood thanks to a mum and dad who loved them very much. Her mum was a warm and compassionate lady, the ‘go to’ person for all the neighbours if a baby was being born or someone had passed, she helped where help was needed. When she left school Milly went to work in tailoring and became very skilled at her trade. She was never short of something to wear; she could come home from work and whip up an outfit to go out in that same evening. She often recounted the little story of trying to find some material to make a skirt, she found some white cotton her mum had in a drawer and in no time had made a lovely skirt to go dancing in. When her mum came home she wanted to know where Milly had found the fabric, Milly pointed out where she had got it from, her mum was horrified and said that was the sheet she used to lay people out in. Milly still wore the skirt to her night out. She frequently spoke of the good times she had known when she was a girl, going to the cup finals at Wembley with her family. Celebrating VE day outside the Town Hall in Leeds, jumping for joy with all her friends. Mac and Milly met at an RAF dance at Yeadon Airport. Mac asked her if she would like to dance with him, she said she would, provided he understood that she wasn’t the kind of girl he could take out behind the bins after. Milly’s jitterbug was the kind that would rival the strictly contestants, although apparently, she did once get banned from a dance hall when her twirling revealed a little too much of her gorgeous legs. We cannot imagine that either of those two young people could have possibly realised what a long and very happy life they would share …. But oh, how they loved one another, nothing ever came between them or changed the deep love that they shared, they were perfect for one another. Married at Milly’s Parish Church St Stephen and St Agnes on the 3rd April 1954 Milly was the most beautiful bride and Mac a handsome groom, the wedding day was a truly lovely event and I hope you have the privilege, as I did, of seeing some photos of the happy couple on that very special day. Their marriage has spanned seven decades a remarkable feat by anyone’s standards and an amazing example to the generations that have followed. Mac was quite the poet, it meant he had no difficulty in putting the love he felt for Milly into words and there are many examples we could have told you about but perhaps this particular composition by Mac tells us all we need to know.

To my one and only Valentine

I want to say this Valentine’s Day

How much you mean to me

If we could live for a thousand years

My sweetheart you’d always be

But more than that, you’ve always been

A guiding light to me.

That’s how it will always be.

But now I want you to leave me

But don’t you start off fainting,

Just go away, go shopping today

So I can get on painting.

And that was Mac and Milly, it was love and laughter helped them through all the ups and downs of life.

Musical interlude

Before we continue their story, we are just going to take a moment or two to hear something Mac and Milly loved. Performed by one of their most favourite artists they would be pleased we played it for you today.

Eulogy continues

Mac and Milly became the very proud and happy parents of Pauline and Mandy. Mac had gone to work for the GPO as a telecoms engineer. His skills were in demand and he and Milly responded to an advertisement for people to go to Australia and begin a new life there. Their passage out was paid and in 1966 they joined the ranks of the emigres known as the £10 poms. After two years in Australia Milly and Pauline were missing family, Mandy was only a toddler so if she was with her mum and dad, she was happy. Mac and Milly decided to come home and give life in Yorkshire another try. They found a house on the Warrell’s in Bramley but that was only a start, Mac and Milly moved quite a few times before they eventually settled in Armley Grange Rise. And the story went that they moved so many times because… Mac had invested in a cement mixer. The first thing that he did wherever they lived was to put down the base for a garage and the legend continued that once he had done as much concreting as there was to be done in a property - they had to move. In truth his skills in DIY were second to none, they never needed a tradesman. He was never still always painting, putting something together, doing some landscaping and Milly went to the door called yoohoo and put his pot of tea on the step. They did love doing the garden together, Mac was there for the labour, Milly did the pretty planting that made their garden lovely. Milly worked for Frank Horne in their tailoring company for a number of years. Her gift of being able to do the very finest stitching, the kind that was required by the company’s prestigious clients such as Harrods, gave Milly a living for many years. Then she joined the Sight and Sound course run in the Yorkshire Post building and acquired the shorthand and typing skills that brought her a living for the rest of her working life. Going to work for William G Search, Milly loved the work and made some terrific friends – she remained with the company working in their accounts department until she retired. A little extra coming in made sure they could put enough by for some lovely family holidays. Setting off in the wee small hours Mac drove through the night so the family could wake up in Cornwall. Camping in Cornwall with Bill, Joyce and their son Dane, they had a brilliant time, lots of laughs. Mandy remembered all the men on the campsite going off to look for wood to build a big camp fire, then later some irate soldiers turning up and causing a fuss, apparently some of the wood the dads had chumped was actually the soldiers latrine door. A few cross words ensued but eventually the soldiers went on their way. The rest of the evening was spent contentedly round the fire with Mac and Bill teaching everyone the words to On Ilkley Moor B’art ‘At. And Mac and Bill were helping the kids fly their kites and Bill showing off put the string between his teeth which was fine till a strong gust of wind took the kite suddenly away and Bill’s dentures with it, everyone was laughing and laughing as Mac sprinted after them. Later on, holidays were abroad mainly Italy Mac and Milly enjoyed site seeing. One year the flight was delayed and they had to stay longer than expected, Mac and Milly were really pleased Mandy hadn’t spent her holiday money on the Barbie furniture she had wanted because it was needed to supplement the budget until they flew home. Barbie got her furniture later so it was alright. All too soon both girls were grown and living their own lives, Mac and Milly welcomed their daughters partners Andy and in later years Mark into the family. Becoming grandparents was such a thrill for Mac and Milly, their lovely grandchildren Hayley, Charlotte, Sheriden, Kate, Gemma and Andrew were just the best gift they could have been given. And if that was not enough joy for two people, in time, their grandchildren made them great grandparents to Molly, Erin, Beau, Zane, Abbie, Baylee, Millie and Daisy…. And wait there’s more to tell because Mac and Millie were great, great grandparents to little Oscar. With the responsibilities of raising their family behind them Mac and Milly used their newfound freedom to travel and they had the most wonderful holidays, as a couple, with friends and best of all with their family. They went to Russia with Terry and Denise before people even thought of it as a holiday destination and they went to Jerusalem. They had some amazing European holidays, took a trip around France with Eddie and Vera. A time share in Tenerife gave them a wonderful little getaway in the sun and it was somewhere they could spend time with their family around them. They had a marvellous time in Spain with Pauline, Andy and their children. When he was younger Mac spent many weekends of his year away with the TA. After he left his other interest kept him busy, after all there was always some concreting to be done. He enjoyed writing and went on weekends with the Writing Circle to Swanage, Milly supported him in his interests, it left her free to spend time with her mum and dad and with Mac’s, so the girls got to see lots of their grandparents. But something that became a pastime they could both enjoy… well that’s not strong enough really... something they were both passionate about, was when Mac learned to play the Ukulele and he joined the George Formby Society in 1990. Peter Pollard their great friend posted an eloquent tribute on the group’s web page should you wish to read in full you can follow the link in your Order of Service. But to paraphrase Peter, he spoke of Mac as one of the great stalwarts of the society and how he had supported their work, gave time to attend and promote the conventions, celebrated the special occasions and life events of his fellow members often performing at those parties. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Leeds branch of the society when it was formed by Alan Harris and even formed his own group the Pudsey Plonkers. Mac and Milly were a team at the George Formby Society in the same way they were in all other things in life. We thank their friends from the Society who have joined us here today and we know they will be missed. Mac and Milly celebrated many milestone events of their own, their Ruby, Golden and Diamond Wedding Anniversaries. They could both look back on the lives they have led with enormous pride, knowing they had always given of their best for those they loved and what a remarkable legacy they leave in the next four generations of their lovely family. The words that Mac penned in this lovely poem for his beautiful Milly are all the more poignant now.

To my darling wife, my Mildred

In the words of the old Irish

I can only say

I will love you more tomorrow

Than I did yesterday

This love we share defies the time

Of ever growing old

It will burn forever

When all the stars grow cold

Your ever loving husband Walter.

Music and time for reflection

We are just going to take a few moments in our service to hear something Mac and Milly would love and to have a little time to think about them. In the last part of his life, and even though he was very poorly, Mac would still sing this song to Milly when she was busy pottering around. As we listen can I ask you to hold to yourself your own favourite memories of these two lovely people, and to welcome them into your hearts where we know you will always keep them safe. Mac left us on the 4th of September as his family prepared for the sad event of having to say goodbye to a most beloved man, Milly became very unwell and was admitted to hospital. She slipped quietly out of this life on the 21st of September and went to find her Mac, she knew he would be waiting for her.

Jigsaw

I know that Mac and Milly’s passing has caused such sorrow for their loved ones, the root of their family nothing can now be ever quite the same without them. I have something to read that is, perhaps what they would want you to know.

Wouldn’t stay without you

Couldn’t bear to be apart

We shared so much together

We shared a beating heart

Soul mate, partner and my best friend

The true love of my life,

So fortunate to find you

And be your loving wife.

We were a two-piece jigsaw

A real and perfect fit,

Whatever gave us trouble,

We’d both face up to it.

A stronger bond you’d never find

Joined from head to toe,

Couldn’t be without you

Couldn’t cope to see you go.

So there are those who’ll miss us

And tears will pass no doubt

But I hope it gives them comfort now

To know I’m not without

I’m back here with my sweetheart

The one I did adore

Two pieces back together

Again, a whole jigsaw.

The farewell

God has blessed and enriched our lives in giving us Walter and Mildred to know and love here on earth. We are thankful for the time we were granted together, in committing their bodies to a natural end, we give over to God the care of their spirit. May the Lord bless them and keep them; the Lord make his face shine upon her and be gracious to them; the Lord look upon them with favour and give her peace. Amen. Mac and Milly, we thank you for your life and for your dear and loving family. They are your legacy, your reward for all the love care and devotion you have always shown them. They thank you for being their inspiration their greatest supporters for your sacrifice and your loyalty but above all they thank you for the boundless love you have both shown each and every one of them. In this last act with sadness but with great love we release you to the next stage of your journey. The long road behind you, go striding home now - hand in hand. And may you find your rest find your peace, certain that all that you were your very essence will now and always remain with those who love you. And may you rest in peace, surrounded always by the unending love and affection of your family and your friends. You have been loved most dearly in this life and you will be remembered until the end of time.

Words of comfort

And when all else is gone, there, remains love. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched, but they are felt in the heart. This is not the end of Mac and Milly’s story, as you go forward in life they will go with you, seen in a smile, felt in an act of kindness, heard in a song or a story, and it is a wonderful thing to know that you have only ever to think of them and they will bring you their comforting presence so long as you live.

The close of the service

We are coming to the end of our service and once again we would like to thank you for being here today to help us to say thank you for Mac and Milly’s life. There will be a collection in memory of Mac and Milly and the donations will go to support the work of Cancer Research. You are warmly invited to return after this service to continue sharing your happy memories of Mac and Milly at The Drysalters just across the road from the grounds of this chapel. As we take our leave, we are going to hear something really wonderful, a performance by Mac and Milly themselves that was recorded as they celebrated their ruby wedding, we hope it brings joy to your hearts and a smile to your lips when you hear them singing together, Baby, one of their favourite George Formby songs. Can I invite you now to take this time to leave your love and blessings with Mac and Milly and to say your farewells to them in your own way.

mandy’s message

Mandy wishes to express her sincere thanks to everyone who attended the farewell ceremony and especially to thank you for all the generous donations in support of Cancer Research, the final amount realised being £285.