Colin David Edward Oliver - IBTA

A Celebration of the Life of
Colin David Edward Oliver
7 th August 1979 - 27 th August 2011
“It is not from the length of its span that we can ever draw conclusions as to a
life’s meaningfulness. We cannot, after all, judge a biography by its length, by
the number of pages in it; we must judge by the richness of the contents...
Sometimes the ‘unfinisheds’ are among the most beautiful symphonies.”
(Viktor Frankl)
The Chapel, Epsom Cemetery
Epsom, Surrey
9 th September 2011

ORDER OF SERVICE
Gathering Together
Suite from Dances with Wolves
(John Barry)
Entrance
Nella Fantasia
(Ennio Morricone/Chiara Ferrau, sung by Katherine Jenkins)
Italian
Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo giusto,
Lì tutti vivono in pace e in onestà.
Io sogno d’anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano,
Pien’ d’umanità in fondo all’anima.
English translation
In my imagination I see a fair world,
Everyone lives in peace and in honesty there.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like the clouds that fl y,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.
Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo chiaro,
Lì anche la notte è meno oscura.
Io sogno d’anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano.
In my imagination I see a bright world,
Even the night is less dark there.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like clouds that fl y.
Nella fantasia esiste un vento caldo,
Che soffi a sulle città, come amico.
Io sogno d’anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano,
Pien’ d’umanità in fondo all’anima.
In my imagination there exists a warm wind,
That breathes on the cities, like a friend.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like clouds that fl y,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.
Words of Welcome
Susan Barry, Celebrant
Tributes to Colin
Gordon Oliver
Miranda Oliver
Kathy Oliver

Quiet Reflection
The John Dunbar Theme from Dances With Wolves
(John Barry)
Music
Suo-Gan
(traditional Welsh lullaby, sung by Noleen Neill)
Huna blentyn ar fy mynwes
Clyd a chynnes ydyw hon;
Breichiau mam sy’n dynn amdanat,
Cariad mam sy dan fy mron;
Ni cha’ dim amharu’th gyntun,
Ni wna undyn â thi gam;
Huna’n dawel, annwyl blentyn,
Huna’n fwyn ar fron dy fam.
Huna’n dawel, heno, huna,
Huna’n fwyn, y tlws ei lun;
Pam yr wyt yn awr yn gwenu,
Gwenu’n dirion yn dy hun
Ai angylion fry sy’n gwenu,
Arnat ti yn gwenu’n llon,
Tithau’n gwenu’n ôl dan huno,
Huno’n dawel ar fy mron
Paid ag ofni, dim ond deilen
Gura, gura ar y ddôr;
Paid ag ofni, ton fach unig
Sua, sua ar lan y môr;
Huna blentyn, nid oes yma
Ddim i roddi iti fraw;
Gwena’n dawel yn fy mynwes
Ar yr engyl gwynion draw.
Sleep my baby, at my breast,
’Tis a mother’s arms round you.
Make yourself a snug, warm nest.
Feel my love forever new.
Harm will not meet you in sleep,
Hurt will always pass you by.
Child beloved, always you’ll keep,
In sleep gentle, mother’s breast nigh.
Sleep in peace tonight, sleep,
O sleep gently, what a sight.
A smile I see in slumber deep,
What visions make your face bright
Are the angels above smiling,
At you in your peaceful rest
Are you beaming back while in
Peaceful slumber on mother’s breast
Do not fear the sound, it’s a breeze
Brushing leaves against the door.
Do not dread the murmuring seas,
Lonely waves washing the shore.
Sleep child mine, there’s nothing here,
While in slumber at my breast,
Angels smiling, have no fear,
Holy angels guard your rest.

Reading
Susan Barry
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, wish for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort,
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight
I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.
All is well.
(Henry Scott Holland, 1847-1918)

Music
Across the Universe of Time
(composed by Sarah Class, sung by Hayley Westenra)
When the sea falls from the shore
As the light sinks low, will I see you any more
As the rain falls from the sky
Can I bring you back, from a distant lullaby
Show me your vision, the story begun,
Two lights are rising and burning as one.
In the deep blue of the night
Shine the millions of stars and my spirit burning bright
Spinning on, into the sun, flying higher
Now my journey’s begun... And the...
Cold, cold wind, it blows me away.
The feeling all over is a black, black day.
But I know that I’ll see you again.
And I know that you’re near me.
There’s a star, calling my name.
Its echo is true and the song is not the same.
Take my hand and lead me away
Bring me back to you in your arms I’m going to stay...
Tell me your vision, the story begun,
Two lights are rising and burning as one.
All those years drifting in space
I have known you well, yet I’ve never seen your face.
You turn around, looking at me, laughter in your eyes
And now I can see
And the cold, cold wind, it blows me away.
The feeling all over is a black, black day.
But I know that I’ll see you again.
And I know that you’re near me.

Exit Music
Time after Time
(written by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman, and sung by Eva Cassidy)
Our celebration of Colin’s life has now concluded but we welcome
you to join us for a short committal at the graveside following this
service where the following reading will be included.
Poem
You can shed tears that he is gone,
Or you can smile because he lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him,
Or you can be full of the love that you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live in yesterday,
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him and only that he is gone,
Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry, close your mind, be empty, turn your back,
Or you can do what he would want:
Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
(David Harkins)

Words in Remembrance of Colin
For Colin’s Family and Friends
Compassion embrace you,
Grace anoint you,
Courage strengthen you,
Companions carry you,
Love surround you.
(Written for Colin’s family and friends by John Emmett, Australia)
I give you this one thought to keep
(Native American prayer)
I give you this one thought to keep.
I am with you still – I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled fl ight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not think of me as gone –
I am with you still in each new dawn.
I can never lose one whom I have loved unto the end; one to whom
my soul cleaves so fi rmly that it can never be separated,
does not go away – but only goes before.
(St Bernard of Clairvaux)

What will survive of us is love.
(Philip Larkin, 1955)
The Oliver family would like to thank you for coming to celebrate Colin’s life today
and for all your kind messages and support which are deeply appreciated.
The portrait photograph on the cover of this Order of Service was taken in October 2010 by
John Flowerdew of Studio J (http://www.studioj.co.uk/). The above photo of Colin was taken
by Cristina Fraquelli at Lake Como, Italy (one of Colin’s favourite places) in August 2009
on the occasion of Colin’s 30th birthday.
If desired, donations in Colin’s memory can be made to The Princess Alice Hospice and/or the
International Brain Tumour Alliance (www.theibta.org). Donations should be sent to Brian Herbert
at Stoneman Funeral Service, 11 Shelvers Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 5PU, United Kingdom. For
further information, please telephone: +44 (0)1737 814406, email: tadworth@stonemanfunerals.co.uk