Forest of Dean Crematorium and then the Church of St Mary’s in Ross-on-Wye were packed for the committal and service of thanksgiving for Margaret Jones on Saturday, February 9th.

At the Crematorium the standards were raised to accompany the poppy decorated coffin into the Crematorium and it was followed by members of the RBL Bikers who also placed a flag on the coffin.

There was a short service which included a reading of Psalm 23, the Lord is my Shepherd, before family and friends who attended the service made their way to St Mary’s in Ross for a Service to celebrate the life of Margaret Ethel Jones who died at St Michael’s Hospice on January 22nd.

Those attending the service included friends from her life spent in Ross before she joined the Royal British Legion, those she had worked with at the Chase Hotel, Pendeen Surgery and in her own business.

There was also those who attended because of the work she had done, first as Membership Secretary, then as Secretary of the Ross Branch of the RBL. Lord Lieutenant Lady Darnley, Peter de la Billière, the Mayor of Ross and many Councillors were among those who attended.

They heard from the Chairman of the Ross RBL, Graham Aplin, who spoke of Margaret’s childhood and her father who died when she was very young. He said that she had continued to visit his memorial every year and understood the significance of Remembrance. He spoke of his personal sadness at the loss of such a good friend.

Then Air Commodore Vivian Warrington, the President of the Branch spoke. He said: “No one is indispensable but Margaret came as close as it is possible to do.”

The hymns were Onward Christian Soldiers, The Old Rugged Cross and the Lord’s My Shepherd. There was an opporutiy to make donations in Margaret’s memory to St Michael’s Hospice or The Royal British Legion.

Margaret’s family thanked everyone for attending the service and joined friends at the Royal Hotel after the service.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.