The Service

The Service

A Celebration for the Life of

Keith Everard Gayle Taylor

Monday 21st October 2024
2.00pm, Riverstone Service Chapel

Entrance Music

The Prayer
Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion

Opening Words

Glory to God in the highest and the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…

Today, we gather to be with and to celebrate the remarkable life of Keith, who graced our world for a full century. Born in Jamaica, Keith was a man of deep conviction, whose spirit embodied self-belief and the importance of hard work. He lived by the motto: if you want to do it, then do it!

As a loving husband to Christine, a father to Ross, Keith, and Colin, father-in-law to Tracey, Charlotte & Minda, Keith nurtured his family with support and guidance. He embraced his role as Papa and Dada with pride, bringing joy to the lives of Jasmine, Eden-Rose, Hazel, and Galen.

Keith’s legacy is one of authenticity and strength. He taught us that to live fully, we must honour our true selves. In the words of Shakespeare’s Hamlet:
“This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”

As we remember Keith and turn to our own lives let us carry forward his lessons of self-belief and hard work, ensuring that his spirit lives on in our hearts and actions as it also lives around us in what we do. May he rest in peace, knowing he has left an indelible mark on the lives that he touched.

The Lighting of Candles

We light candles today for Keith for his memory.
Keith, we light these candles today in remembrance of you.
For our sadness in loosing you.
For our fond memories of you we will always keep.
For our determination knowing you bought us strength.
And for our love that we shared with you, and we will always love you.
May this flame burn bright and continue to shine as you brightened our lives.

“Keith, he died that day because his body had served its purpose. His soul had done what it came to do, learned what it came to learn, teach what it needed to teach and then was free to leave.”

The Lord’s My Shepherd

Psalm 23
Norwich Cathedral Choir

As we gather here to honour and celebrate the life of Keith, we take a moment to reflect on the comfort and guidance that faith can provide in times of sorrow. The hymn “The Lord’s My Shepherd” resonates deeply with the themes of peace, support, and reassurance that we seek in our journey through life and in moments of loss.

This hymn reminds us that, like a shepherd, we are not alone; we are cared for and guided through every valley and challenge. As we listen to these words sung by Norwich Cathedral Choir, may you find comfort in the promise of love and protection that surrounds us.

Words of Remembrance

Keith. A quiet yet intellectual soul, he had an unparalleled ability to inspire those around him. His insatiable pursuit of knowledge was not just a personal endeavour; it was a gift he shared selflessly with others. In his role as an educator, he touched countless lives, guiding many on their own unique journeys as they wrote their life stories.

Keith was a man of modesty, logic, and wisdom. He believed in the power of education and the importance of order, his enjoyment for his subjects, mathematics and science was evident, but it was his passion for sports, particularly cricket and football, that truly shone through. As captain of both Kingston College and university teams, he led with integrity and fairness, earning the respect and admiration of his teammates.

Throughout his life, Keith faced challenges with a calm resilience that inspired those around him. He embodied a deep sense of calm and peace, his quiet strength was a guiding light, a reminder that it was okay to persevere, to strive for excellence, and to embrace life’s complexities.

His enjoyment for cryptic crosswords, an activity that perfectly mirrored his intellect and love for puzzles. He had a unique way of finding joy in the little things, often shying away from fuss or extravagance. If he were here today, he would urge us not to dwell in sorrow but to celebrate the memories we shared, to hold them close, and to continue living our lives to the fullest.

Let us carry his spirit with us, remembering that life is a journey filled with learning and growth.

In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of people and the affection of children; to leave the world a better place… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

Keith, you have certainly succeeded, and we are forever grateful for the privilege of having had you in our lives.

A poem for a way of life

Desiderata
~by Max Ehrmann 1927~

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

A time of Reflection

Nature Boy
Nat King Cole

As we reflect on the words, we have heard today we will spend a moment listening to Nat King Cole sing Nature Boy…

Saying to us “the greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return”.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

Closing Reading

“Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one.

Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;

Never selfish, not quick to take offence.

There is nothing love cannot face;

There is no limit to its faith, Its hope, and endurance.

In a word, there are three things

That last forever; faith, hope , and love;

But the greatest of them all is love.”

Keith, as we join you today with heavy hearts, hearts that are filled with all your life has given to us, we thank you for everything that you were and all that you gave. The many lives you have touched and inspired we say thank you on their behalf as we release you on to the next part of your journey.
Your spirit lives in and around us in all we do.

Thank you and ‘walk good’ Keith

Closing Music

Banana Boat (Day-O)
Harry Belafonte