Thursday, April 05, 2012
RIP Mike Carrington
Mike would have been proud....I hope his family feel proud.
Mike's funeral drew people from far and wide - hundreds of them.
Where to park was the first problem.
The crematorium was teeming with people and cars parked everywhere.
We joined the hundreds at the door of the chapel - many we knew and many others we didn't.
People chatted, there was some laughter - the only thing missing was Mike's smiling face.
A good looking man, I think you will agree.
He gave a great deal to Sussex athletics - was the president of Sussex and a great supporter and tireless worker for Horsham Blue Star club.
But he also spent time sorting out the problems and interests of anybody who needed him, from young beginners to Sussex international athletes (one of whom was there today).
He had been keen on many sports during his life.
And had been a PE teacher at Christs Hospital school for 30 years.
The funeral was taken by a family friend - always feels good that.
The singing was magnificent - hundreds of people singing the moving and well known hymns was very stirring.
Mike's son talked - lots of "thanks yous" for all the things that Mike had passed on to his offspring and grandchildren. There was laughter, though we felt the son's pain as he struggled a little to continue.
Then Keith May talked of Mike's life in athletics and of all he had achieved.
The first anecdote was new to me. Mike was at Oxford University in the 50s. One day he was playing cricket and deliberately lost his wicket, so that he could slip away to the Iffley Road track to witness Roger Bannister become the first man to break the 4 minute mile.
Mike lived a very full life. He died as he lived - socialising and in sport - in the middle of a golf game.
Not, how did he die, but how did he live?
Not, what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not what was his church, nor what was his creed?
But had he befriended those really in need?
Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away?
A very apt poem which was read.
The music played was Mike's kind of music - jazz.
How wonderful to share with him Ella Fitzgerald singing "Someone to Watch Over me".
Moved and uplifted, we filed out into the bitterly cold day. There was nervous chuckling as we looked ahead to the first Sussex open meeting of the season on Sunday - would it rain? Would it warm up a bit?
Mike will be sorely missed, that's for sure.
Many of the athletics fraternity joined together at the venue for a reception to enjoy a cup of tea and some lovely little sandwiches and even more lovely little cakes.
Bill and I spent our time there talking with a couple of Mike's old friends - a rugby playing friend from Horsham. It felt good to be involved with another part of his life.
A funeral is sad. A good friend and colleague has gone - never again to hear his booming voice calling out the distance somebody has long jumped!
We are reminded of our own mortality.
Let us learn - it is not how we die that makes much of a mark, but how we live.
Live well - as well and as fully as is possible. Enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer. Enjoy giving time to benefit others in some way.
Finally for the benefit of athletics friends I share with you the Horsham Blue Star web site which has a video of Mike being interviewed about his role in Sussex athletics - in which he utters the dubious thought that Sussex is blessed to have an abundance of officials. We'll see on Sunday Mike!
http://www.horshambluestarharriers.org.uk/news.html#mike
Mike's funeral drew people from far and wide - hundreds of them.
Where to park was the first problem.
The crematorium was teeming with people and cars parked everywhere.
We joined the hundreds at the door of the chapel - many we knew and many others we didn't.
People chatted, there was some laughter - the only thing missing was Mike's smiling face.
A good looking man, I think you will agree.
He gave a great deal to Sussex athletics - was the president of Sussex and a great supporter and tireless worker for Horsham Blue Star club.
But he also spent time sorting out the problems and interests of anybody who needed him, from young beginners to Sussex international athletes (one of whom was there today).
He had been keen on many sports during his life.
And had been a PE teacher at Christs Hospital school for 30 years.
The funeral was taken by a family friend - always feels good that.
The singing was magnificent - hundreds of people singing the moving and well known hymns was very stirring.
Mike's son talked - lots of "thanks yous" for all the things that Mike had passed on to his offspring and grandchildren. There was laughter, though we felt the son's pain as he struggled a little to continue.
Then Keith May talked of Mike's life in athletics and of all he had achieved.
The first anecdote was new to me. Mike was at Oxford University in the 50s. One day he was playing cricket and deliberately lost his wicket, so that he could slip away to the Iffley Road track to witness Roger Bannister become the first man to break the 4 minute mile.
Mike lived a very full life. He died as he lived - socialising and in sport - in the middle of a golf game.
Not, how did he die, but how did he live?
Not, what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not what was his church, nor what was his creed?
But had he befriended those really in need?
Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away?
A very apt poem which was read.
The music played was Mike's kind of music - jazz.
How wonderful to share with him Ella Fitzgerald singing "Someone to Watch Over me".
Moved and uplifted, we filed out into the bitterly cold day. There was nervous chuckling as we looked ahead to the first Sussex open meeting of the season on Sunday - would it rain? Would it warm up a bit?
Mike will be sorely missed, that's for sure.
Many of the athletics fraternity joined together at the venue for a reception to enjoy a cup of tea and some lovely little sandwiches and even more lovely little cakes.
Bill and I spent our time there talking with a couple of Mike's old friends - a rugby playing friend from Horsham. It felt good to be involved with another part of his life.
A funeral is sad. A good friend and colleague has gone - never again to hear his booming voice calling out the distance somebody has long jumped!
We are reminded of our own mortality.
Let us learn - it is not how we die that makes much of a mark, but how we live.
Live well - as well and as fully as is possible. Enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer. Enjoy giving time to benefit others in some way.
Finally for the benefit of athletics friends I share with you the Horsham Blue Star web site which has a video of Mike being interviewed about his role in Sussex athletics - in which he utters the dubious thought that Sussex is blessed to have an abundance of officials. We'll see on Sunday Mike!
http://www.horshambluestarharriers.org.uk/news.html#mike
