A Eulogy for Rose  -  by Stephen Scholey

It’s a daunting thing to be asked to write about someone who is so loved by so many and in the weeks since I learned of Rose’s passing I have thought long and hard to come up with something to say to do her justice.

In the end I concluded that the best I can do is say something to hopefully give some shape to the profound impact she has had on my life.

I first met her about 12 years ago when we started in Colin’s Tai Chi class within a week of each other.  It pains me to say that it took me a few years before I really started grasp the depth of her but I’m proud to say that for a good few years now I have had the privilege to class her as a friend and mentor.

For the past few years one of the highlights of my week has been the Saturday morning journey to and from the class in Leeds chatting to Rose and Richard about life, the universe and everything.  We have covered just about everything from Tai Chi, Spirituality and extra-terrestrials right through to “Mucky Soup” which was one of her Saturday lunch specials.

The more I got to know Rose, the more I understood that she had a deep wisdom and strongly held values.  The biggest lesson I learned from her was watching how she gently and subtly influenced people. I never saw her force her ideas onto people, instead she won me and others round to her way of thinking by acting consistently according to her values.

Stephen Covey suggests that the purpose of life is “To Live, to Love, to Learn and to Leave a Legacy”.  I think Rose has achieved a great life.

She lived life to the full and she is an inspiration to me because she fitted more into her life in her seventies than I think I do now.

She loved her family and I know she was very proud of Lorraine. And she also loved Tai Chi and her Tai Chi classes.

She certainly had an insatiable appetite for learning and I don’t think we ever met without her asking me “what do you know” and then looking at me with genuine anticipation – I’m afraid I disappointed more than I educated!

In terms of a legacy…They say you don’t really understand what you had until it’s gone.  Now that I have reflected ,I understand that Rose changed me and she helped me grow.

I’m sure I’m not the best of her legacy but I’m proud to be a part of it.

I once thought about what epitaph I would like to get and I came up with “The world is a better place because he lived”.   I may never earn that epitaph but I know Rose did…

The world is a better place because she lived…

We’ll miss her humour, we’ll miss her enthusiasm, we’ll miss her jaffa cakes but we will all carry with us a part of her wisdom.