Poignant tribute paid at funeral

Family and friends gathered at the church to say a final farewell to highly popular businessman Eddie Sargent, who died suddenly on Monday morning just hours after he had returned home from a hugely successful Boys' Brigade Old Boys sporting holiday abroad.

Mourners from all sections of the community attended the service, which was presided over by Canon John Mayse, who was standing in for Canon Derek Creighton.

The Scripture readings were from John 14, 1-6 and verse 27, and from Psalm 23, and the organist was Roy Adams.

In a touching tribute to her father, the late Mr Sargent's daughter Hollie, also did a reading.

In his address Canon Mayse acknowledged that while partings were sad occasions, the promise of the life to come gave hope to all of a joyful reunion.

"Life is full of partings of one sort or another and often they can be painful experiences and, of course, the closer we are to someone the more difficult those partings can be," he said.

"Today is a parting when we say farewell to Eddie Sargent," he said, adding: "It would make life much more difficult if it were not for that hope that sometime, somewhere, somehow, that reunion with loved ones would be restored and we meet again to part no more."

Acknowledging the shock with which the late Mr Sargent's death had been greeted, Canon Mayse said: "Sudden and unexpeced death, as in the case of Eddie, shocks everyone. A familiar figure has gone and will not be seen again on this Earth, and we know that things will not be exactly the same again.

"For we grieve for those we loved and our grief is the sign of our love. And it is because we have had that, that we experience such a sense of loss.

"It is not possible to sum up Eddie's life in a few minutes, for everyone will have their own memories; memories that are individual and personal of someone they have known and loved. There will be memories of his school days at Foyle and Londonderry College, memories of his interests, memories of his friendship, memories of his love of life, memories of his love for the Boys' Brigade and the Boys' Brigade Old Boys Football Club, of which he was chairman for many years; his love of keep fit and training, his love of football and his support of Liverpool; his expertise as a director of Moyola Building Services, and, of course, his love for his family. There will be many memories, many incidents recalled which will warm your hearts in the months ahead," he said.

Canon Mayse said the memories that people had of Mr Sargent would remain with them for life, and would help to sustain in times of sadness: "These are memories that will be with you until your dying day. This is a sad time but I believe one of the most important things we should remind ourselves of at a funeral serivce is our belief in the ressurection and the hope that it brings.

"We listen to the words of Our Lord again: 'Set your troubled hearts at rest, trust in God always; trust also in Me. There are many dwelling places in My Father’s House. If it were not so I should have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you I shall come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.’

“This is our hope and it is this hope and of the gratitude for his life that we now commend Eddie into the loving hands of our Heavenly Father. And, as we do so, we extend our love and our deepest sympathy to his parents, Bertie and Anne, daughter Hollie, brother Mark, sisters Karen and Susan, his girlfriend Melanie, the whole family circle and his many, many friends,” the Canon said.