WARDEN FOR 20 YEARS – Funeral of Mr J J Pethard of Badsey
The funeral took place at Badsey on Saturday of Mr J J Pethard, aged 57, whose death occurred at his residence at Badsey on the previous Wednesday.
Mr Pethard, who was a Londoner, came to Badsey 35 years ago. He began business as a market gardener, but soon went into partnership with Mr W Hardiman, whose sister he subsequently married. Nine years ago they opened a retail shop (The Evesham Shop) in Stourbridge, where they built up a successful trade.
In Badsey, Mr Pethard’s great interest was in the church and all that concerned it. At the time of his death he was churchwarden, having filled that office for more than 20 years – first as People’s Warden and later as Vicar’s Warden. For some years he was a Sunday School teacher and had for 18 years been a member of the band of ringers.
The funeral service was conducted by the Vicar (Canon W C Allsebrook, MA) and Mr T H Knight was the organist. The 39th Psalm was chanted and the hymns, “Rock of Ages” and “The Day Thou Gavest” were sung. N”As Now the Sun’s Declining Rays” was sung at the graveside.
The mourners included Mr R Pethard (brother), Mr W Hardiman (brother-in-law), Mrs B Cockerton (sister-in-law), Miss D Ballard (niece), Mrs T Owens (niece), Mr D Bonehill (nephew), Mr A Sears (cousin), Major & Mrs Green (Old Swinford), Mr T Mason (Stourbridge), Mr J Owens, Mr P Harper (Stourbridge), Mrs Matthews (Stourbridge), Mrs G Churchill, Mr C A Binyon (Chairman of Evesham RDC), Mr A Jones (Churchwarden), Miss M Sladden (Secretary of Church Council) and Mr J Holding (Secretary of Nursing Association). Mrs J J Pethard and Mrs W Ballard were unable to attend.
There were more than 50 wreaths, while some friends sent donations to various funds in which Mr Pethard was interested.
VICAR’S TRIBUTE
On Sunday evening the Vicar referred to the great loss sustained by the parish and spoke in terms of high appreciation of all Mr Pethard’s work for the Church. As Churchwarden he had served the church and parish well for over 20 years. He was no seeker after office but, having once undertaken the work, he never slacked in his interest in an labours for that church which he so loved. His one great desire was to see the church made ever more worthy of the worship of Home to Whose Name it was reared. Over the finances of the church he watched most jealously and he worked most zealously to set them on a sound footing. It was therefore a great joy to him to have lived not only to see the church out of debt, but to see the Church Improvement Fund steadily growing.
Speaking personally, Canon Allsebrook said he could tell all he himself owed to the friendship of Mr & Mrs Pethard when, called upon like them, to sorrow for the loss of an only son.
A quarter peal of Grandsire Triples, the bells being half-muffled, was rung at St James’ Church on Sunday afternoon in memory of Mr Pethard. The ringers were J Perkins (Bretforton) treble, A Taylor (Badsey 2, T Jones (Badsey) 3, T Sadler (Willersey 4, John Hall (Bretforton) 5, A Reed (Badsey) 6, G A King (Badsey) 7, G Moisey (Badsey) tenor. The peal was conducted by Mr G A King.