Josephine Robinson

“Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure.”

Josephine sadly passed away in the care of Leighton Hospital on 16th July, aged just 63 years.

Josie (or Maria as many called her) was a feisty lady who could and did light up the room. A lady who took care and pride in her appearance without being showy. She had a striking raven black mane of hair. A lady who came with a positive direct way of speaking and communicating, though her singing voice did not match her speaking voice. She came with an infectious laugh and a sense of humour to go with it. She was a free and independent spirit who knew her own mind.

Josie, born in the North East, had two brothers Derek and Joe, with whom she has maintained a good relationship over the years. She was married to Ralph for 31 years. Mother to Natalie, and mother-in-law to Timothy and Nana to Penelope, the latest addition, who is all of 3 and a half, not forgetting grand dog Duke.

Josie and Ralph could function as an effective team. Here are a couple of examples.

They worked as a team in their property management business.

They worked as a team in a slightly amusing way when they visited the many stately and historical homes with a Tudor connection, which I’ll explain in a moment. Ralph would check out the gardens, while Josie inspected the building. Call it complimentarity.  I guess you could have seen this operating when they visited Little Moreton Hall, Gawsworth, Bramall Hall, Chatsworth, etc etc.

For those closest to Josie there is now a gap, and the grief and perplexity of grief. But Josie lives on! And not just in the afternoon teas she enjoyed so much!

We can think about this in various ways:

She lives on in your memories, now precious beyond price.

She lives on in all the ripples that radiate from her life.

She lives on in Natalie her daughter and in what she passes to her, such as strength of character  and resilience. She never disillusioned Natalie – Santa really does come every Christmas with all those presents. So Josie bequeaths to Natalie a love of Christmas.

Here’s a lovely little story about Christmas. A famous quote came to Natalie the other day “May you never be too old to search the sky on Christmas Eve”.  Shortly after, without any prompting, Penelope pulled her mother over to the window, pointed into the sky, and said “Look Mommy, it’s Santa”.

So the Christmas legacy lives on in little Penelope, and in a more profound way she lives on in her very being.

But, as Josie herself thought, she lives on in a further dimension.

Let’s go back to that special attraction to Tudor properties, mentioned previously.  Josie believed she belonged to that period, that she had had a presence there. Especially did she feel that on her weekend visit to Hampton Court with her daughter Natalie which she enjoyed so much. In consequence, her appetite for exploring and learning about the Tudor period seems to have been insatiabl

This kind of spirituality fascinating. It certainly challenges conventional materialistic conceptions. If you believe that everyone has a soul or spirit, then it makes sense to think of that soul existing beyond time and space. Natalie and Ralph say they now can sense Josie’s presence, which fits well with Josie’s beliefs, and which is actually a very common experience after bereavement.

Josie has had her life on earth unexpectedly cut short. Those left behind are shocked, as we all feel shock when we lose someone. But we take a crumb of comfort in that her period of suffering has been short, and we can take more than a crumb of comfort in the belief that she has moved to a spiritual realm, where those of you who love her can see her again.

May Josie now rest in peac

Her funeral will take place on Tuesday 23rd August in the Crematorium Chapel, Crewe at 10.45am, followed by cremation.

For any further information please contact our funeral home on 01270 584447.