Brightlingsea folk turned out in force to pay their respects to Terry Scowen – the man they dubbed Brightlingsea’s caretaker for his selfless work and acts of kindness.
Terry’s funeral took place on Monday, February 20 at St James’ Church – the building of which he was caretaker for many years before his sudden death at the age of 64.
A large crowd gathered in the High Street outside the church. Inside, around 250 people heard Terry described as a “gentle giant” and an “angel in disguise” for the help he gave to others.
“The loss is great,” said the Rev. Caroline Beckett. “He was somebody who was full up with kindness. The title of Brightlingsea’s caretaker was well earned.”
Born in Kent, Terry moved to Brightlingsea in 1974. He worked on the town’s shipyard estate, and as an electrical contractor, before taking on a variety of part-time jobs with the local council, the church and the YMCA amongst others.
Terry was known for his generosity, leaving ‘secret’ supplies of chocolates for groups meeting in the church, and always ready to help people with shopping or collecting prescriptions. He was regularly seen picking up litter around the prom and hard, often early in the morning.
A familiar face on the High Street, he engaged many residents in conversation on the bench outside St James’ – so it was fitting that a floral tribute spelling out his name (pictured) was left there after the service.
Terry’s coffin was carried in to the church to the strains of the Hollies’ “He Aint Heavy, He’s My Brother” and taken out to “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles“, the theme tune of West Ham United, the team he’d followed all his life.
Lay Minister Catherine Graham referred to Terry’s sense of humour and his liking for heavy metal music – Motorhead, AC-DC and Twisted Sister were favourites. She told of a quip he made to Rev. Beckett not long before he died, joking that his musical choices would never be played at his funeral.
But local choir Women in Harmony did just that, performing a version of “You’re Not Alone” by Twisted Sister. A fitting choice, for as Mrs Graham commented:” Terry was loved by so many people, and spent so many years of his life helping people and ensuring that they were not alone.”
Before friends and relatives headed for a wake at the YMCA, Mrs Graham read some of the tributes left to Terry in a book of condolence.
“You always looked out for other people,” said one. “Nothing was ever too much trouble,” said another. And a common sentiment was: “Brightlingsea will not be the same without you.”
Concluding the service, Rev. Beckett suggested that Terry was probably “unaware of the depth of love and respect that Brightlingsea had for him” and she urged those present to “take all of the good that was in Terry in to our own lives”.
The service was followed by a cremation at Weeley – but not before the funeral cortege toured the town, passing many of Terry’s favourite Brightlingsea haunts along the way. A retiring collection was donated to the church.
