John and I have known Roy and Celia for many years. We have many happy memories of times spent with them both – musical, medical, miscellaneous.
Personally my most treasured memory of Celia was of a day in November 2022 when she and Priya took me to buy an engagement ring. John and I had booked our Civil Partnership ceremony for December and he decided to tell fellow trustees of SAMF about this at their usual meeting. Apparently he was asked what ring he had bought for me. He answered “We decided not to bother with that sort of thing”. The female members were adamant – this could not be let rest – Celia and Priya would intervene.
I met Celia at Bond Street and we went to Gray’s antique market nearby. Displaying her considerable jewellery knowledge she led me to Nicola’s unit which she knew would be the right place to start. I chose a beautiful sapphire ring which met with Celia and Priya’s approval.
Leaving Gray’s jubliant we celebrated wildly with a cup of coffee.
John and I did not make a big event of our ceremony or anything surrounding it, but Celia’s instinct that this was an important thing was right. She did me a huge favour – not just in helping me to acquire the ring but in concocting a very enjoyable and memorable ceremony of friendship in the buying of it. She proved herself an exciting companion and a true pal.
We shall miss her.