Funeral of Cdr Michael Francis Goodenough Emary RN
10 May 2023 - Yesterday, Martyn Holloway and your humble Webmaster Rob Hoole attended the funeral of our fellow MCDOA member Mike Emary (see News article for 13 Apr 2023) at Eastbourne Crematorium. The service was conducted by the Revd Adam Ransom and, as can be seen in the scanned pages of the Order of Service below, it followed a traditional naval format.
In recognition of Mike’s many years of sterling work for the Royal British Legion after he left the Royal Navy in 1993, his wicker casket was greeted at the chapel by RBL standard bearers Kevin Pollard (ex-Army) of the Eastbourne branch and John Hemingway (ex-RAF) of the Willingdon branch of the RBL. John Hemingway was accompanied by his wife Sylvia (ex-PMRAFNS).
Mike’s wife Judy was supported by her son Simon, who delivered a glowing eulogy, and daughter Sally-Anne who read her own poem. Other family members included their grandchildren Thomas, Hannah, Becky and Alex, and their great granddaughter Rosa. We learned that Mike and Judy first met when they were 17 in 1957, the same year Mike joined the Royal Navy. They would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary this year.
After the service, many of the mourners repaired to the Hydro Hotel in Eastbourne where Martyn and I were surprised to bump into Capt John Cole Lowndes ‘JCL’ Wright OBE FBIM RN, a former clearance diver who rose from the lower deck to Captain RN in spectacular fashion during the 1970s/80s. Martyn and I had mostly known him as the MCD desk officer in the MOD’s DNW (Directorate of Naval Warfare), Captain of the short-lived and ill-fated SOV (Seabed Operations Vessel) HMS CHALLENGER, CMCM (Captain Mine Countermeasures), Captain of HMS INTREPID and Captain of HMS RALEIGH before he left the Royal Navy circa 1991.
Martyn Holloway, John Wright and Rob Hoole
I am sure all members of our community will wish to join me in extending our sincere condolences to Mike’s wife Judy, and their family and close friends.
Rob Hoole with Judy Emary
N.B. The MCDOA has donated £100 to the Royal British Legion in Mike’s memory, as requested by the family in lieu of floral tributes.