Obituaries
There is a light that will never go out...
It is with deepest regret that we announce the following death:
Terence Blakiston
Joined the St Vincent de Paul Society in 1945 at the age of 18 and maintained his membership in various conferences and councils, serving those in any sort of need through the Society for 60 years.
He joined the Sacred Heart Conference in Dereham, Norfolk , in April 1997, aged 70 with his wife Joan.
From January 1999, as part of his SVP work, Terence accompanied Johnny, an inmate of Death Row in a Texas Prison until his execution just after Christmas 2000. They wrote to each other about many things but mainly about the love of God for his people.
In one of his letters Johnny wrote:
"My dearest friend, I can't thank God enough for his manifestation of such an admirable friend, and for manifesting our comradeship into the Oneness of Christ, the Lord. Also, my friend, for the gladness, the joy, the peace your writings bring into my heart."
The last letter that Terence received from Johnny testifies to the value of their correspondence. It ended with the prayer-poem of a man facing imminent execution.
Thank You Heavenly Father
Thank you Heavenly Father for giving me another Christmas
to see the beautiful bright sky,
and Thank you Heavenly Father for the beautiful white doves
I see flying by.
Thank you Heavenly Father for showing my your mighty love and Glory,
Thank you Heavenly Father for giving me a few more days
to tell Terence/Joan your story.
For many nights and days I carried a heavy pain
and my heart was nothing but a scar,
Thanks to our Heavenly Father for taking my little pain
and once again making my heart into an iron bar.
Even though every day I am locked in a cell
which is not a bowl of cherries,
Thanks to our Heavenly Father for the care
he takes of my loneliness and worries.
Thanks to our Heavenly Father for slowly letting my day end,
for I look forward for my eternal life to begin.
Up in heaven with Terence, Joan and Jesus Christ
I know it will be very nice.
So Thank you Heavenly Father for showing me the right way
and with you always, I will stay