Thread: Funeral for Simon - Friday the 9th of September

Hope the send off goes well. The thoughts of all over on the East coast will be there I'm sure.

Have set my alarm for a little quiet moment, facing West, at 4pm (EST). All the best.

I'll be thinking of events in the west as well.
Hoping all goes well.
regards
Mick

Unfortunately I can't make it - will be on a plane at the time...

However you have my best wishes.

Unfortunately I won't be able to join you Sarah, due to other commitments. Please be very sure that you have been in my thoughts several times these past few days and surely will be on Friday also. You have my deepest sympathy and best wishes for the days ahead. Lay Simon to rest in peace with warm thoughts and supportive people surrounding you.
Kind regards
John B

Today we said goodbye to a brother, son, cousin, mate, colleague, father and partner.

Twice in two years I along with many others who new them, have had to say the same thing. Twice is one thousand times too many. Twice we have all asked ourselves the question "Why....?

Knowing what Lucas, Land Rovers, Sarah, the business and helping others was to him, what could possibly have made the decision to come to the conclusion he did? No one can say with certainty, no one can summise but no one should judge anyone on their reasons for doing so.
Some people cannot see through what is essentially a hopeless situation and rather than turn our backs and ignore because we "don't want to get involved" or "I dont really want to deal with someone elses problems" quite often this is the mountain those with depression face being passed onto them by the very people they are turning to.

Both Simon and Chris Hardy were very similar in there outpouring of generosity to people, both starting new businesses with promising and stable outlooks, both were great people to be around. But this constant having to help people, having to make sure everyone is happy around you, you've done the right thing by everybody and worrying that you may have not, having to smile when deep down you think you have reached the bottom of what used to be your endless pit, this is an all too common hindsight that comes to light after this kind of event.
The constant search for perfection is often hiding a dire call for help as constant dissatisfaction reigns in your mind and never truely being happy with even a half assed job.

I had the great pleasure of meeting them both and seeing what was sadly lacking in the Land Rover community in WA. Now, we are missing two of our own.
Both had their own demons, both had the constant search for perfection, both were never totally happy with what they accomplished, both had massive voids in their lives through the loss of someone signifcant and instrumental in there lives until that point.

Its not up to the Government to take responsibility for those suffering from depression and to have Joe Public accuse them of not spending enough on mental health, its up to me and everyone of you to be aware of the signs, to ask the question "mate, are you OK?"

If anyone of you ever feel like its all too much, call someone in your family, a close friend, the Salvos, Beyond Blue or any of the many organisations, hell even ring me and I'll take you to see someone, just please dont make a decision that results in all of use having to bury another mate.

Simon, you will be missed by all of us. Lucas will never know the true person you wanted to be deep inside, the person we all saw that truly could have and should have been. The smile on your face masked a pain in your heart that could never be replaced, but now nothing will replace the void in all of us who knew you.

You may be gone, but you wont be forgotten.

RIP

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.

All is well.

May his soul rest in peace.

Just a final word to sarah.
Blimey girl you did him proud, how you managed to focus enough to engage in organising on here,ensuring all of us getting to the funeral on time was purely amazing.
It was amazing for me I actually turned up somewhere ahead of time a first!!!.
I guess the distraction of doing all that helped in someway but thanks,

Thanks for the opportunity to say ciao, see ya, adios.
I am sure he would have had that wry smile going on in part to know we rocked up and that many in the east who could not make it gave a stuff.
But probably at the same time kicking his own arse that if he could have taken it back he would have, often we do or say in haste what we would regret and take back in an instance on reflection, Just that there is no reflection no opportunity on this occassion, and I am sad for that.

You did amazing feats of bravery that day Sarah and spoke of eloquently of someone who had stole your heart, you were in it for thick and thin I just don't know how he lost sight of that,you were firey, you were warm you knew where you were going, you were a beautiful couple and you complemented each other fantastically.

To the fellow AULRIONS of the west I don't want to keep meeting you guys under such circumstances, If it gets too much and you want to escape a while come up to the Pilbara for a holiday I have a lovely sofa that needs someone to kip on it, I would prefer to have someone to drag around this beautiful and diverse part of Western australia in a Land Rover than Drive 2000 k's or whatever it is too see someone off way before time.

Where ever you are in Australia if you are blue you know what to do come to resort Lardy.
No cost, this is a genuine offer: if you come over the top and want your washing done stop in, if you are tired of the road and want a break stop in,whatever the circumstance but mainly if life is black stop in.

Kindest and best Andy.