The funeral of Jade Goody

By Ruth Doherty on Monday 6 April 2009

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Jade Goody's Funeral-Celebrity News

Thousands of mourners lined the streets of London and Essex on Saturday to say their last goodbyes to Jade Goody as she was finally laid to rest.

THE FUNERAL OF JADE GOODY

Tearful fans gathered together to watch the ten-car cortege move through Bermondsey, the South-East London district where Jade grew up, and continue through to Jade's home in Upshire, Essex, on to St John the Baptist Church in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

Grief-stricken Jade's mother, Jackiey, was shaking and crying as she got into the car at the head of the procession, led by funeral director, Barry Albin.

The London Community Gospel Choir sang Amazing Grace as Jade’s white coffin was carried into the church shortly after midday.

Jade's widower Jack Tweed was among the six pallbearers, and could barely hide his emotions under his dark sunglasses.

The 21-year-old sparked a shower of tears as he took to the podium to read Jade a poem he had written her, in which he said: 'My life will never be the same without you by my side.

'Grief almost too much to bear, pain difficult to hide. But when we look into the sky for the brightest star above, Bobby, me and Freddie will send you all our love.'

The Big Brother star's sons did not attend but sent messages in a bottle from Australia, where they are on holiday with their father, Jeff Brazier.

They held their own ceremony, hours before the funeral, on the beach at a private resort near Sydney.

In the letters, which they launched into the ocean, the boys wrote: ‘To Mummy, Please speak to God and ask him to make the clouds go away on holiday because we can’t see the stars.

‘We love you very much and speak about you every day, we know you are with us when we play on the beach, eat our dinner and even when we are colouring in pictures for you, we know we can talk to you and you’ll hear us.

'You are always in our thoughts and in our hearts, mum, we are proud of you and you’ll never be forgotten.’

It ended: ‘We miss you, love your little men, Bobby and Freddie.'

Jade's good friend, personal trainer Kevin Adams, read an emotional tribute, revealing her and Jack had planned to marry before she fell ill.

'Long before Jade’s illness, she got a letter from Jack. In it he said in no uncertain terms that she was the woman he wanted to marry.

'It is being buried with her and that letter will now never leave her side.'

But, for those who hadn't already been reduced to tears, the moment came when Jade herself made an appearance in an emotional video goodbye.

A film clip of the star ended with her saying: ‘That’s it from me. See you around maybe. Bye.’

The personal goodbye, recorded shortly before her death, followed a montage of photographs of the star, accompanied by The Beatles’ She Loves You, shown inside the church and relayed on a giant screen outside.

Celebrity guests who came to pay their last respects included Davina McCall, Jamelia, Blue's Anthony Costa, and chef Aldo Zilli.

Emotional tributes were left from thousands of people, including Richard and Judy, who wrote: 'For brave, sweet Jade, who always tried to make life better for herself and her two beautiful boys. You did it darling. Rest in peace.'

Last night Jade’s publicist, Max Clifford, said she became a princess in Bermondsey and a queen in Essex.

The day’s events, he added, were ‘very much a Jade Goody production’.

SEE JADE GOODY: A LIFE IN PICTURES

THE FUNERAL OF JADE GOODY

More Jade Goody

Monday 6 April 2009

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.. a good send off... now let her rest in peace... and us.... all this media hype on, and on - she is not a saint - what has she given to society? except unaware to her has brought about the awareness of cervical cancer.. please now care about people who are suffering from malnutrition etc. that they needn't.

I never disliked JADE but it's definitely time to say Goodbye.

Comment by CLEA MYLONAS on April 06 13:00

tacky. shame so many young people hold on to reality TV show participants as being people to admire and look up to.
Comment by rammstein on April 06 13:09

such a sad day :( poor jade r.i.p sweet heart your no longer in pain and your boys are being looked after and the entire would are thinking of them good bye jade goodey and i pray for your mum and hubby jack xx
Comment by joanne moss on April 06 13:12

I have to say I agree with Clea and Rammstein. I would never wish ill on someone, however Jade Goody represented everything that is abhorrent about British society today. Ignorant, greedy loud people believeing they are entitled to fame just for being ignorant and loud. I think it's terribly sad that she died young and left two small children, but the car crash of what she has left behind shows she was hardly a responsible person. Children out of the country with a father they didn't live with, the new husband facing yet more police charges. A publicist for heavens sake, giving gratuitous detail of her decline in health.

The poor spelling and lack of punctuation in the posting of the devoted fan above only speaks to the comments of the rest of us.

Please can we get a bit of sanity and decorum back in the country !
Comment by Catherine on April 06 15:36

Jade is someone to look up to, her poor boys will now grow up without a mother, she fought so hard to make sure her boys could have the life she didn't and she's done everything in her power to do just that. Good for you Jade. A great send off, she deserved it, she really was so brave a fighter till the end. its just a shame how some people don't see that. My thoughts are with your boys. Good bye Jade and shine bright in that sky xxx
Comment by Rebecca Karrn on April 06 16:09

Well said Catherine! Now let the circus RIP with Jade.

May this be the last we hear of her and her family , no film Please.
Comment by Golfer on April 07 14:22

You should never forget your roots, some have had it harder then others, ive always been fortunate, but had tough times too. Jade had the oportunities and took them, her endearing manner got her into big brother, and people made money out of her, so why shouldnt she take the oportunities offered. Michael parkinson and people like him are snobs, you should never throw stones at glass houses.
Comment by diane mckenzie on April 07 22:38

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