Llanishen Methodist Church						Melbourne Road, Llanishen,
						Cardiff CF14 5NH
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UNA ANN VOSPER Died November 17th 2009 aged 90 years

Funeral service for Una Ann Vosper November 27th 2009 Entry into church with sentences of scripture Welcome Hymn Love divine all loves excelling Opening prayer Old Testament reading: Psalm 121 Gospel reading: John 14.1-6, 27 Tribute and Short Address Prayers of thanksgiving and intercession Hymn O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder (How great Thou art) Commendation and the Lord's Prayer Blessing At Thornhill Crematorium Entry music Hymn Thine be the glory Act of committal Concluding prayers and blessing Music for departure		We have come to mark the death of Una Vosper, who died last week at the age of 90. We come to grieve the loss of a dear family member and friend, and of someone we knew and respected. Una was born into the Lyle family Ealing in 1919. The family were from Cardiff but at the time of Una's birth circumstances of work had taken the family to a short stay in West London. She was the only girl amongst the four children - older brothers Tom and Ron were born before the war, and the youngest Leon was born after the family had returned to South Wales. Una always said that growing up amongst 3 brothers meant that she was a bit of a tomboy. At the age of 14 she left school, taking up employment as a sales assistant at Lerman's department store on the Hayes before moving to Howell's. She put down her capacity for mental maths down to the practise she had at work. From an early age, Una took up acting, appearing at performances at the Mynachdy Institute close by to the family home on Mynachdy Road. She kept up with her stage performances for many years into adult life and was most natural in a comedy role. She was naturally funny and easily made people laugh, whether in pantomime role or simpy getting her words muddled up. Her stage humour was reflected in her generally happy outlook to life. However, una also knew great sadness in her life - one of the most difficult periods for her came in the 1930s when first her father died at a relatively young age on the Good Friday of 1935 followed in the same year by the death of her older brother Ron. Just five years later, her younger brother Leon also tragically died. Una and her mum continued to live at 15 Mynachdy Road, just along the way from her mum's very good friend, whom Una knew as 'Auntie Maisie' (you need to hold on to that fact - it becomes very important later on!). She remained there until 1941 when she married David Davies - a young man she had known since childhood because of the musical link he had with Una's brother. They were married in St Katherine's Church in Caerphilly, and moved over the mountain to live. Pat was born in 1946 and Lyn in 1951. Una settled ito family life, and did not return to work (this time in a local newsagents) until the girls were older. By this time, Una was involved with the local branch of the Mother's Union, and sang contralto in a choir. So life went on until David's death in 1971. Soon afterwards Una suffered a major stroke, which left her virtually unable to speak, but she fought back with a quiet determination until she was restored to full health and an active life. Over the year's Una kept in touch with her mum's friend Maisie, and so it came about that Maisie's cousin Ray (whom Una had known since childhood) would pick up Una to bring her visiting on Sundays and at other times. Ray's orange beetle car became a familiar sight to Una's family, and so this little 'Love Bug' became the vehicle of something more than just friendship. Una and Ray got married in 1980, here at Llanishen Methodist church, and Una exchanged her long standing attachment with the Church in Wales for a new chapter of her life in the Methoist Church. In the mid 1980s Una and Ray had the opportunity to live in Maisie's old house at 51 Mynachdy Road, and it was there that they enjoyed most of their 29 years of happiness together. Their happiness was enhanced not just by one, but by two families to surround them. Although how they kept track of birthdays of not just children and grandchildren but also of great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren I'm not quite sure - Una's calendar on the wall was the secret I think. In later years Una suffered more and more with ill health - deteriorating sight and hearing and spells in hospital, with a prolonged stay at St David's. It was here that Una received the care and attention she required during the final months of her life, and I know that her family cannot sing the praises of the staff at St David's highly enough. It was here also that members of Una's family were able to gather at her bedside during her final hours. If there is a text from the bible that sums up Una's life, it is the verse which says, 'Well done good nd faithful servant.' They are words taken from the parable of the talents where the master of the household commends his servant's use of time and resources in his service. Una had a strong faith, and she lived it out in everyday settings. Her role within the church was one of getting on with things in the background - an interesting contrast with her stage persona. Within her family she was known as someone who could be relied upon for sound advice and simply knowing what to do for the best in difficult circumstances. She must have had a quiet assurance, and she applied that trust in practical ways. 'Well done Thou good and faithful servant.' It is a fitting epitaph to a life well lived, and if we want a model for our own lives of faith and service we could easily turn to Una for the example we need. She sought to serve her Lord, and is now reaping the benefit o her reward. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.
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