Elly, Simon & Harry

Dearest Katie,

I’ve been thinking about writing on here for a while, so here goes… It’s so hard to know what to write after such a major event has taken place and so many thoughts and emotions have crossed everybody’s minds when they think about you – which they do, every day. I want you to know how much everyone misses you and how loved you were, and still are. You and I had become close mainly through the boys’ love of cricket and darts (no comment re the darts!) but also because we had many other things in common and liked a good party and a good laugh! Not to mention the fact that we both had a great group of friends in Wokingham that we had both come to know and love through meeting our partners.

I remember you lending me the Merde book quite soon after we’d met because we’d both studied French at uni and had spent time abroad.

Like me, you were also extremely close to your family and friends and although I’d met some of them, I felt like I knew the others because you described them so well and told me all about their lives, jobs, families etc and what they were up to.  Like you, all your friends seemed to be very bright, energetic, fun people who packed a lot into their lives.

We also both loved the cricket teas and would always be scrounging for cake and sandwiches (and even sometimes beer!) but we tried to be subtle and ladylike about it!  We must have covered every topic of conversation on those long, (mainly) sunny Sunday afternoons and we both also enjoyed reading the Sunday papers and the odd sunbathe – although you were more cut out for that with your beautifully tanned and glowing skin rather than my ‘English rose’ (i.e.pastie white effort!).  It was lovely when you ‘set up’ Peta & Neil successfully and Peta joined the WAGS – she remains a great friend and has been very supportive of Rich, as have many others.

There we times when you and I disagreed and sometimes we had to agree to disagree but we did manage to do that and move on, and we spent so many fun times together on our own, and with the rest of the gang.  Our personalities were similar, in the sense that, if we felt really strongly about something, we couldn’t let it lie!  But none of that matters now, all I want you to know is that we have all been really affected by losing you, especially of course your family and Rich, and that we all just really miss your laugh, your voice and your presence.

As so many, many others do, I have lots of happy memories of time spent with you Katie, you had become a very close friend, someone who played a major part in our lives.  What was so lovely was how the happiness radiated from you once you had married Rich.  That last evening that we spent together, when you came over to meet Harry for the first time, and to show us all your honeymoon photos, was one of the nicest evenings we have ever spent together – totally chilled out, and you were so, so, so happy.

I do really miss you and still can’t quite get my head around what has happened. When we were in Devon, I saw the most beautiful sunset on the beach. It brought a sense of calm over me and I just felt very peaceful for a few minutes. I thought of you then, and do often.

PS I’ve chosen this photo because Rich sent it to me and Laura a few months ago and I know he really likes it. It doesn’t do you justice as you were much more beautiful but it does capture the spirit of a very happy, relaxed night down the Tavern. xxx