A Doctor Who/Avatar mashup by JaviDLuffy

by Chris Florey, via NerdApproved

You can more of this from the creator, MOCPages!

Funerals are weird occasions. On the one hand you are gathering due to the death of an individual, on the other it also serves to bring together colleagues, friends and families to remember someone they knew, admired, and loved.

Thus today, Saturday 5th March, we gathered to say goodbye to William Nicholas Stone Courtney - Nick, aka the Brig - who had passed away a couple of weeks before on the 22nd February. The service was to take place at the Golder's Green West Chapel at 1:00pm

We arrived around 12:30pm, and as the hour approached many more of his friends and colleagues were to arrive to pay their respects. This would, of course, include those we know from Doctor Who, and amongst us 'civvies' were Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, Richard Franklin, and others that Nick knew well like Frank Williams and Pamela Cundell, from Dad's Army. Other people here to pay respects included Big Finish producer Nick Briggs, his predecessor and new series script editor Gary Russell, plus other names long associated with appreciation of the show like Jeremy Bentham, Ian Levine and Toby Hadoke.

First hymn was Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven - one that has the remarkably apt line in the last verse for Doctor Who fans: "Dwellers all in time and space"! This was followed by a reading of John 1:14 by his close friend and autobiography co-writer Michael McManus.

Memories of Nick were then shared. Firstly, his son Philip recounted childhood tales of his father, and growing up with the 'Brigadier'. Unlike some actors, Nick always used to watch his work with a critical eye on performance! Then, his neighbour Carmelo Xuereb talked about how he met Nick that first weekend in Crouch End - amidst a broken down car and champagne! - and their growing friendship, leading up to shared family holidays together in Malta. Finally, the Reverend Bert Baker, who was leading the ceremony, spoke fondly of his parishioner and friend's passion for the King James Bible!

The next hymn to be sung was Jerusalem, which was then followed by a reading of Desiderata (Max Ehrmann) by Sally Mates. Afterwards, Lindsay Richardson sang a haunting rendition of the poem Fear no more the heat o' the sun by Shakespeare (Cymberline Act IV). Then, another Shakespeare script, this time from Hamlet (Act 1), "Polonius's advice to his son Laertes", read by honorary grand-children Luke and Christopher Xuereb.

After a reflection by Bert Baker - including how Nick had once portrayed God with great conviction! - the service concluded with his favourite hymn, To Be A Pilgrim. Then, it was time to pay final respects to a man who had brought so much enjoyment to life and depart the chapel to the tones of La Mer ...

It was one of those wierd coincidences that, on a dull and blustery day outside, as the ceremony continued rays of sunshine started to filter into the chapel, seemingly bathing the coffin in haloes of light as they gleamed off its brass - it's time like that when you can almost feel somebody is smiling down on proceedings. Certainly as, once the service was over and we left the chapel, there was no sign of the sun above the bleak chilly clouds that had cast their way across the sky once more!

It was a day of sadness, of remembrance, but also a celebration of Nick's life. The memories shared by others also enabled us to recall our own times with Nick, and as Philip had said, his ability to laugh at himself and always see the best in those he knew. For me, it was a
privilege to have been able to know this genial gentleman personally, the man who brought the indomitable Brigadier to life!

A cheery five rounds to you, Sir Alistair!

You can read my obituary for Nick at Doctor Who News, and more personal photos and memories on Facebook.

A video obituary by Ed Stradling for Nicholas Courtney:

 

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If you haven't had a chance to watch it yet, this is a beautiful tribute video by Babelcolour.