Though he stayed with us for but a short passing of time, his presence was felt, his smile cherished.

The Jura Care Village team had the privilege to care for him here, a man who touched so many lives in his lifetime, some of whom may never even know his name, but who will be touched by his acts of love and kindness for years to come.

On behalf of the Jura Care Village, I would like to show my respect by sharing a moving poem written by Mary Elizabeth Frye in 1932. Mary was inspired by Margaret Schwarzkopf to write this poem, a German woman who at the time was staying with Mary and her husband in Baltimore, USA. Margaret was concerned about her mother who was ill in Germany, but she had been warned not to return home because of increasing unrest. When her mother died, the heartbroken young woman told Mary that she never had the chance to “stand by my mother’s grave and shed a tear”.

‘Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. 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 flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.’

May you go with peace and love dear Sidney Colam.

And as we sat in the beautiful Cathedral, we listened to the life he lived and we knew that we were privileged to share glimpses of a formidable man. We had the blessing to share the last moments of his life.

As the family walked out the church, we hugged his wife and shed a silent tear.
And then foĺlowed a small figure in black. But as he looked up and smiled and took my hand in his….
I felt the presence of a very special human being; Bishop Desmond Tutu, a dear friend of Sid, gave us his hand in a blessing.
In awe we folowed out the Cathedral, touched by two great men!