A celebration of the life of

Raymond Llewellyn Polack

30 January 1961 - 16 February 2021

Tuesday 16 March 2021

Redditch Crematorium • Worcestershire

Opening Music

You Are the Sunshine of My Life Stevie Wonder Lovely Day Bill Withers

Welcome Sarah Bertram, Funeral Celebrant

Poem Death Is Not the End Peter Tatchell

Death is not the end But the beginning Of a metamorphosis. For matter is never destroyed, Only transformed And rearranged – Often more perfectly. Witness how in the moment of the caterpillar’s death The beauty of the butterfly is born And released from the prison of the cocoon It flies free.

Tribute Lloyd Polack, Raymond's twin brother

We just had our birthday. Made it to 60, we did - good innings!

Jazz is filled with mirrors reflecting off of one another - take a mis-step and go with it, develop a new groove.You and I, Raymond, as kids we were one another's mirror.We couldn't get more close - being each other's twin brother.

We entered the children's home on Packington Avenue when four, after a year or so on a farm till one of us got sick, which one I don't know.

We were named as 'the twins' when together, or when spoken to individually merely 'twin'.Together we had good times there, four meals a day, four holidays each year! And kids in our children's home were treated to fantastic Christmases, Mrs. Morgan was a great chef. Before leaving the home you and I were the Birmingham Boys' Club table tennis doubles champions, I wonder if anyone might have a photo of us as fifteen year-old champions lifting the Champion's Cup?

We found out only years later, at one point when we were about five, they had thought to split us up. We had our own language and kept too much to ourselves. Of course,we fixed this by going down to join the scouts when we were six.We should have been seven, but Skip Robinson, our Scout leader and mentor, let us stay.

So from Cubs to Scout leaders we had scouting adventures together till we were 22.Who was Mowgli and who Akela, our scouting names, I don't remember, but the kids had lots of fun.

We took them to the Lake District, Cosall Wood, and Snowdonia, of course. When teenagers, we had our own camping adventures. We'd look at the maps, just catch a train,get off and head for the mountains.Once we'd set up the tent, at night we'd go down to the local village to check out their music scene,and talk with the locals.

From about sixteen, when not off camping and searching out local music, we'd go of a Sunday to the hotel on Bristol Road to listen to jazz and all kinds of music … it didn't matter what was playing,we listened to everything (except for Punk, we were too clean to get in).

But let's just stay with the basics.I miss youTwin.In childhood,it was like looking in the mirror when looking at you.When I moved away from England and our lives grew apart, our mirror became a bit foggy.That said, the fog cleared during your multiple visits to Finland,and on my visits to you.It was a joy to see how the jazz we had between us has evolved into the jazz your son now creates.You developed into The Great Raymondo and what a magician you were, and are! You're keeping it real, aren't you?

You've managed to keep yourself with me, even when not.The mirror is not broken,but my heart might just be.

Covid keeps me separated (in body, but not in spirit) from our family honouring your memory today. It is, however, my honour to have your memories with me for all time. Tribute Jan Polack, Raymond’s wife

Reflections on a life shared.

Tribute Clare Madge, close friend and fellow member of The Bruised Fruits

Ray, I have so many fond memories of time spent with you: capering about in hysterics while juggling in Cannon Hill Park;the first Bruised Fruit show in Sutton Park performing to a couple of dogs! Dancing drenched in sweat to Soul-to-Soul in Moseley Dance Centre or in the Happy House; you andTim wandering around the streets of Edgbaston the night before your wedding trying to get Rosy to sleep; your generosity when you gave me my first car – your red Ford Escort; your phone call as you proudly announced the birth of Alexander and Rowena; the kind support you gave me through my illness and the positivity and stoicism with which you bore yours. The list goes on... And in all my memories, there you are,centre of the action,laughing,connecting to people,going for it!

There is a poem by Hafez calledElegance that reminds me of you:

It is not easy to stop thinking ill of others. Usually one must enter into a friendship with a person Who has accomplished that great feat himself. Then something might start to rub off on you of that true elegance.

This was your true elegance Ray.You always saw the best in people, made the most of any opportunity, lived life to the full.You did not live life from the side lines but generously reached out and pulled people into your rich and funny world.

You were a really caring and lovely man, a great friend, a supportive partner, a proud father and a special brother.You leave us all with a huge sadness and the loss of a force for good in the world. However, your elegance of kindness, happiness and generosity of spirit continues to rub off on all of us and we will stand by Jan, Rowena and Alexander.

So go in peace Ray, don’t worry, be happy, you, the most elegant of people. Reflection Somewhere over the Rainbow Israel Kmakawakinole

Prayer Please join in saying the words if you wish

God our Father, we thank you that you have made each of us in your own image, and given us gifts and talents with which to serve you. We thank you for the gift of Raymond, A force for good in the world. We thank you for the years we shared with him, the good we saw in him, the love we received from him. The laughter he brought, The joy and happiness he spread wherever he went.

We thank you for him as a brother, a husband,a father,a colleague and a friend. Now give us strength and courage to carry on and live our lives more like him. Amen

Committal Please join in to say...

Raymond, we release your earthly body, sending you on, in the hope that this is not‘Farewell’ – but rather – ‘Au revoir’ till we meet again.

Music The Nearness of You Roy Hargrove What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong.

Thank you

Fran Glover fromA Natural Undertaking nothing has been too much trouble

Sarah Bertram friend, teacher, fellow musician and funeral celebrant

Claudette Chambers collating messages about Raymond and decorating the coffin in your wonderful, unique style

Tuckshop Flowers for your beautiful flowers

Linda Fowler friend, fellow musician, gardening buddy, for creating the order of service

Sally Romero-Wade for making the tissue paper sunflowers to represent each of Raymond’s colleagues from Solihull Bikeability

Sarah Evans, Specialist Nurse,Dr David Peake, Consultant Oncologist, and all staff atBirmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

All our friends and our family who have been so wonderfully supportive to Raymond and the family, in the past, in the present,and in the future. • If you can, please donate to help detect cancers earlier www.fundraisecancerresearchuk/page/the-great-raymondo Printed by Badger Print, Shifnal