In Loving Memory of
Simon Peter Dexter
17th January 1958 -28th March 2020
Funeral Service
12:30 pm Friday 17th April 2020
(Simon is far right on photo)
Remembering Simon our Brother
Being a year apart in age Simon and Amos were inseparable as young children, playing together, cricket, tennis, board games, chess, climbing trees, swimming in the sea at Elmer, scout camps and expeditions. Simon rarely lost games involving strategy and memory. Nephew Andrew has remarked on the impossibility of beating him at scrabble.
Simon was exceptional talented academically and won a Foundation Scholarship to St Paul’s School’s when he was 10 years old. He sat his O-levels when he was 14 and later won an Exhibition to Corpus Christi College Cambridge in 1976 to study Natural Sciences. After graduation he trained to be a Chartered Account with Joselyne Layton Bennet & Co and Arthur Young McClelland Moores & Co. After completing his training, he joined Aqualisa Products Ltd. in 1982 and was promoted to Financial Director in 1992. Simon was best man at the wedding of Jane and Amos in 1988 and Timothy and Susan in1991. Simon’s first sporting love was cricket and he played regularly for Smallfield Cricket club for many years.
Simon was an amazing Uncle to his 10 nephews and nieces. He would normally travel to the family home at Elmer whenever our families were visiting Mum and Dad. He was Godfather to Rachel, Leon and Matthew. Andrew’s first question to Mum Stephanie on travelling to Elmer was “Is Uncle Simon coming”. Years later it is Andrew’s daughter Sophia that has been asking will Uncle Simon be there?
Uncle Simon treated Rachel, Charlotte and Luke to a Skiing holiday in Arinsal (1996) and sacrificed his cruciate ligament keeping Charlotte on her feet. Simon gave up Skiing with Amos years earlier due to Amos’ top down approach – on his very first skiing holiday he took him to the top station at Saas Fee 12,000 feet (1984) on the expectation he would have figured out how to ski by the time he reached the bottom.
Sadly, Simon was diagnosed with Myeloma in October 2017 and lost his battle with this disease in March of this year. We are all missing him badly.
Entrance Music
Bob Dylan- Knocking on Heaven's Door
Mama, take this badge off of me
I can’t use it anymore
It’s gettin’ dark, too dark for me to see
I feel like I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can’t shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin’ down
I feel like I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Simons favourite music included Bob Dylan and Queen
Service
Bible Sentences
Opening Prayer
Hymn "Abide with me":
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O, abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Eulogy
Reading St John's Gospel chapter 20 verses 1 to 18
Sermon
Hymn "Praise my soul"
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
To his feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me his praise should sing?
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise him for his grace and favour
To our fathers in distress;
Praise him still the same forever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.
Prayers, including:
The Lord's Prayer
The Commendation
The Committal
BlessingHymn "Jerusalem"
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On England's pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among those dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear, O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England's green & pleasant Land
Final music "The Lord's my Shepherd".
The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by,
My soul He doth restore again,
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for His own name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
And staff my comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forevermore,
My dwelling place shall be.
Charity We kindly suggest that donations in memory of Simon be made to
Myeloma UKusing the link
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/simon-dexter26 Myeloma UK is the only organisation in the UK dealing exclusively with myeloma. It provides information and support to patients and their families and help myeloma patients live longer, with a better quality of life by accelerating the discovery, development of and access to new treatments.
Myeloma UK Registered charity number SC026116
