The funeral service of Janet Morgan was held at St Helen’s Church, Abingdon. The Rev’d Charles Miller would have taken the service but is recovering from illness.

The service was led instead by Rev’d Mary Williamson who said she could tell Janet was well known and loved from the size of the congregation.

The order of service showed pictures of Janet at various stages in her life. There was a lovely picture of Janet and David getting married; another of her rowing in the Lake District, where she had lived during her youth, and often returned for walking tours. On the back cover was a picture of her as Mayor of Abingdon in 1989, and on the front was the face of Janet in her latter years.

The hymns were well known:
To Be a Pilgrim
The Lords my Shepherd
All things bright and beautiful – because of her love of the outdoors
Guide me, O thou great redeemer.

An appreciation of Janet’s life was given by her daughter, Alice Morgan. It told how committed Janet was to family; of her careers, first at Harwell, then teaching; how she loved walking and travelling; and how she became an inspirational local politician: town councillor, Mayor, leader of the Vale district council, and Freeman. She was never defeated in an election. Voters got to know and trust her so well.

The service ended with the organ playing ‘I know that my redeemer liveth‘ from Handel’s Messiah. One had the impression Janet had a strong faith.

Then there was a very long and slow moving queue as people shook hands with family members and shared memories.

Donations were for The Abingdon Bridge (a charity providing counselling and advice for young people in Abingdon that Janet supported from the outset) and Sobell House (a charity providing end of life care and support in Oxfordshire). There is also a just giving page.