Good morning and welcome to Mortonhall Crematorium for this celebration of the life of Laura Porteous. My name is John Porterfield, I am a Civil Funeral Celebrant and I will be leading today’s service.
We are here today in what are strange and difficult times, and because of that this service will undoubtedly be different from the one you would have had for Laura in normal times. Although so few of you are able to be here today, some comfort can be taken from the fact that Laura’s family are able to be here, which would have been so greatly appreciated by her.
Today’s ceremony is a celebration of Laura’s life. It is a time to pay tribute to her and express your love and admiration for her. You will hear an account of Laura’s life and character. There will be a period of reflection where you can choose to pray if you wish and this will be followed by the formal farewell, and a brief close. It is hoped that this ceremony will bring you comfort at this time.
You may well ask why, exactly, we are here? What is a funeral really for?
A funeral has to do three things. First, and simplest, it must enable each of you to say farewell, in the way that best suits you. Second, it should show the love, affection and regard in which Laura was held. And third, it gives time to remember and celebrate the person she was. These things we shall now try to do.
Laura came into this world on the 12th September 1948. Born at home in a prefab at 7 West Pilton Medway, she was one of five children for her parents Andrew and Kitty Thompson. and The family later moved to Leith and Laura was raised there with her sister Nanette and her brothers Andy, Colin and Duncan. She attended Leith Links Primary School, and David Kilpatrick’s Secondary in North Junction Street.
According to big brother Andy, Laura was a bit of a tomboy when they lived in West Pilton, mainly because there weren’t many other girls in the street. One day after the boys had seen a film at the afternoon matinee and saw soldiers parachuting from a plane, they were playing at soldiers and copying the jump and roll technique from the coal bunker in the garden. Laura wanted to try it too but Andy told her she was too wee. Laura was adamant however, so the boys let her have a go.
Versions of what happened next differ between Andy letting her slip deliberately, and Laura jumped too soon, but regardless of which version is correct, the result was a broken leg for Laura, and big trouble for Andy.
Laura enjoyed a happy childhood growing up with her sister and brothers and also her cousins just up the road in Restalrig. Nanette remembers that their mum used to dress her and Laura the same, which didn’t always go down well with Laura since she was 5 years older. One summer, when Laura was about 12 years old, she was going to Portobello beach with her friends, and her mum told her to take her wee sister with her. Laura wasn’t too pleased with this as she wanted to have fun with her pals, not look after her wee sister 5 years younger.
After spending a while on the beach, they became separated. Nanette was taken to a large hall where all the lost children were taken, while Laura was frantically searching for her. She was grateful that day that she was able to ask people if they had seen a wee girl dressed exactly like her. Laura heard the tannoy announcement from the hall that a wee girl called Nanette had been found and went to collect her. They often reminisced about that day in future years.
Mum Kitty would get the girls to help with the shopping and would send them to Sneaths bakers in the Kirkgate to get the Saturday treat of cakes.
On a couple of occasions Laura spent the bus fares on two Woodbines and they had to walk all the way home with the cakes. Nanette was sworn to secrecy about the Woodbines.
When she left David Kilpatrick’s at the age of 15, Laura began work at the White Star Shipping Company at 28 Bernard Street in Leith. She would later spend 26 years working as a nursing auxiliary in the Wester General Hospital between the years of 1972 and 1998
When big brother Andy got married, he moved to Orkney and lived in Kirkwall. Laura went to stay there for a while, and got a job working in Vietch’s fruit and veg shop. It was in Orkney that she met Colin Porteous, who was there with his mother. They were visiting friends who had a grocery shop in Stromness and used to visit Andy and Polly. Laura and Colin got together and when Colin returned to Edinburgh in 1966, Laura came back too.
They were married on 18th November 1967 in Claremont Kirk on Easter Road, and set up home initially in a rented flat in the grange, before moving to what would be the family home in Hazeldean Terrace, the Inch. Laura and Colin had three sons over the next few years, Paul born in 1968, Craigi in 1972 and Colin completed the family in 1974.
Laura was proud of her sons, and loved spending quality time with them.
Every weekend would include a day trip away to places like Callander, St Andrews or to Glentress or Cardrona, where they would enjoy long walks, often beside water so Craig do some fishing. Laura took on driving duties on the way home so dad Colin could have a nap, and they would either stop off for fish and chips or enjoy Laura’s famous homemade soup and hot rolls.
There were also memorable family holidays to Kirk Park caravan parkin Dunbar or to Laura’s brother Colin’s caravan at Pease Bay. It wasn’t all mod cons though, and water had to be brought in each day from the tap at the shower block, and lighting was from gas mantles. But every day was an adventure, with fishing, amusement arcades and long walks along Belhaven Bay, getting back before the tide cut them off.
The boys remember a trip to the market in Berwick upon Tweed and Laura and Colin teasing them by asking if they had their passports since they were going to England. Laura was proud of her boys and also very protective.
They remember one occasion at Pease Bay when Laura had bought them a rubber dinghy, but wouldn’t let them go out on the sea in it on their own. Instead she attached a length of rope to it and stood on the beach holding the rope for hours on end so it wouldn’t float out to sea, much to the boy’s embarrassment.
In 2004 the whole family travelled up to Glenrothes to watch eldest son Paul compete in the Scotland’s strongest man competition; The boys are not sure who was more nervous Paul or Laura, but they don’t think anyone has ever heard Laura shout so loud as when Paul was on that stage doing each event. He won event after event wiping the floor with everyone and ultimately winning the title and bringing home the trophy. Laura was so proud that day and kept saying that’s MY boy, Paul also went onto compete in Britain’s strongest man finishing 8th another proud day. Sadly, Paul passed away on 28th April 2005, and Laura struggled to come to terms with the loss of her eldest son.
Big brother Andy remembers the first time Laura visited him when he moved to Shetland, and He and Polly took her to the Royal British Legion. About half way through the evening one of the doormen came through and told Andy ‘you’d better come and get your sister. Thinking the worst they all rose and went through to the foyer where a small crowd had gathered, and before anyone had a chance to ask what was wrong, Laura came out of the Gents to a round of applause from everyone blushing from head to toe. She had gone into the wrong toilet’s and she never lived it down the rest of the holiday. Needless to say Andy never let her, but frequently reminded her of her visit to the Gent’s whenever the situation merited it.
Craig recalls on another occasion whilst up in Shetland with mum just after Paul passed away visiting Andy and Polly they were invited to Julia and Brydon’s house for a bite to eat and a coffee. Let’s just say that there wasn’t much coffee drunk that evening, Brydon put on some Scottish dancing music and got Laura up to dance, she was an excellent dancer, it was a joy to watch her laugh and enjoy herself
Laura shared the same passion for Hibernian Football Club as her two boys and was a season ticket holder for a number of years along with Colin.
They never missed a home game and went to as many cup games as possible. Craig would also attend the games when his work shifts allowed (or he wasn’t fishing).
The best game and most memorable day was on the 21st May 2016 at Hampden Park when Hibs finally won the Scottish Cup after a wait of 114 years, beating Rangers 3-2 in the final. Laura loved talking about that game and frequently played the cup final DVD at home to relive that special day.
Laura was thrilled when her grandson Nathan or ‘her best boy’ as she called him came along. Nathan stole her heart from the moment she first saw him and they shared many special and happy times together.
Nathan always looked forward to the school holidays where he would spend the whole time at grans being spoiled. They would have day trips away where they would go for a walk then sit somewhere nice and have a picnic or a cheeky poke of chips.
On days when the weather wasn’t great they would sit and play with his Lego or both of them would go up into the attic where Nathan had his model trainset set up. Laura would sit and read her book whilst Nathan played away for hours.
She also took Nathan on a trip to Legoland in Windsor on a journey by train and taxi. After a great day spent walking round all the model villages and gift shops the two got back to the hotel worn out too tired to go out for dinner, so they enjoyed pizza from room service while they built Nathan’s new Lego Star Wars toy that Laura had just bought him and he still has to this day. It was a special holiday that Nathan will never forget.
Laura was a very friendly helpful empathic woman who would do anything for you. She regularly put the welfare of others before her own.
Over the years she made lots of friends, a few of whom became special friends that she kept in touch with. Judith Gillon worked with Laura in the Western General Hospital and describes her as an outstanding auxiliary nurse who was reliable, hardworking, compassionate, and made great soup, but most of all she was a good woman.
She remained good friends with Pauline Barker, her next door neighbour’s daughter, and with Paul’s partner Michelle after Paul passed away. She was also good friends with her nieces Kim, and Heather. Heather remembers her auntie Laura as a loving, caring and kind auntie. She has many happy memories of visiting her house and always being made to feel welcome and at home. She made the best soup and delicious food, and you'd always leave with a full tummy and a full heart.
Laura was an avid reader, and she always had a book on the go or was reading from her kindle. She was always asking Nathan to put new books on to it to keep her going. If she wasn’t reading books she was would be doing some sort of word puzzle or crossword either out of a magazine or on her tablet.
Laura also loved to knit especially baby clothes whether it was for family, friends or a neighbour, as soon as she heard there was a baby on the way the knitting needles and wool were out and away she would go – hats, gloves, booties, cardigans, shawls and blankets. There must have been a lot of cosy babies out there. But it wasn’t just babies she would knit for she once kitted a jacket for Lorraine’s Doberman dog Ben, to keep him warm after he had a major operation.
If she wasn’t reading or knitting for everyone, she would relax by watching her favourite TV shows like Eastenders, Coronation Street and Heartbeat.
Sadly, Laura developed Motor Neurone Disease, and she was looked after at home by her boys Craig and Colin. After a short illness, she passed away at home with her boys by her side on the 2nd February. The family would like to say a huge thank you to MND Scotland for all their support during Laura’s illness.
Laura Porteous was a woman who always thought about others, and regularly put the welfare pf others before her own. A kind, caring compassionate woman, who loved her husband, her boys and her grandson. Her family all have very special memories of the time they spent with her. Happy holidays, going to the football, and finally seeing Hibs lift the Scottish Cup together. She will be remembered for her kind loving and giving personality, her endless generosity, and not forgetting her outstanding soup, and mince and tatties. She will also forever be remembered as a loving wife, proud mother and grandmother and a good friend to many.
Laura’s boys were her life, and I’d like to end this part of the ceremony with these words that Laura wrote, that say everything about how much she loved them
‘I am the luckiest and proudest mum to have been blessed with three wonderful sons. I couldn’t have asked for more. You were my life and my reason for living. My Love for you is endless. Don’t be too sad, I have only moved house, gone to stay with Dad and Paul. When god closes a door in life, he opens a window in Heaven to let the light shine through, and that’s where I’ll be, at the window looking over you. Nathan, my ‘best boy’ who stole my heart the moment I saw him, I cherish all the happy times we had together.
Love Hugs and kisses, Glory Glory to The Hibees.’
Reflection
The next few minutes are a time to reflect on the memories we have just shared. If you wish you can use this time to pray, ar you may prefer to sit back, and recall your own special and personal memories of Laura as you listen to Andrea Bocelli singing Ave Maria.
Committal
The time has now come to say goodbye to Laura for the last time. If you are able please stand
We now commit the body of Laura Kathryn Porteous wishing it were not so. Be thankful for her life. For the love she gave. For the friendships she sustained. For her contribution to your world. Nothing good about Laura’s life will be lost because it was of benefit to you. All that was important to her will be respected by those who follow, and all that was great about her will continue to mean so much to you. With Love leave her in peace, and with respect bid her farewell
Closing words
As we come to the end of this ceremony, let us take a moment to reflect on the mysteries of life and death. Since the beginning of time we have always known that life as we know it has an end. Death follows life just as surely as night follows day. So let us be well content with it, since it is one of the things that nature wills - being young and growing old, bearing children and reaching maturity, experiencing the seasons of the world and the seasons of the heart, so also is the end of life.
As long as you have memory, then the influence of Laura, whom you loved so much, remains and her influence continues. Today is not an end to love. You will laugh and feel joy again because you know she would want you to.
Today you have remembered with love and gratitude a life that has ended. Return to your own lives, enriched and inspired by the memories that have been shared here today.
It has been my honour to conduct this service today. I would ask as the closing music plays, that you remain seated until you receive further instruction from the Funeral Director.
Thank you, good morning and please stay safe.