• To all of you dear ladies at State of Grace, I want to say thank you. But thank you isn’t nearly enough of a word to express my gratitude towards you. From that first phone call I knew that you would look after us, and our beautiful Sue. When you came in and said that Sue’s was a ‘good death’ the comfort you gave me in those words was enormous. I nursed Sue at home until she died, with a visit from a nurse at Mercy Hospice each day. I hoped that what I did made her final days as comfortable as possible and you reassured me of that. The conversation the boys and I had later with Deborah encouraged us to run the funeral our way. In particular it was meaningful to us not to have a crowd around as when we buried Sue. I had always observed funeral directors as people who quietly “oiled the machinery” and generally made the right things happen. I now know that you do so much more. We immediately felt that each one of you was our friend. After Sue died the only thing I felt I could do for her was to give her a memorable funeral. You enabled me to do that. A thousand thank you’s are not enough to express my gratitude to you. With love,

    - John -