Farewell to tragic mum

Oct 16 2007 By Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail

FAMILY and friends paid an emotional goodbye to a 21-year-old mum who died suddenly two weeks after giving birth to the baby she had longed for.

More than 100 people filled St Clement's Church, in Castle Bromwich, for the funeral of tragic Katy Rose.

In a eulogy led by lay minister Margaret Harding, Katy was described as a girl who "loved life".

The song Eternal Flame by girl group The Bangles was played and poetry read out which had been written by Katy's brother Paul and sister Emma and their parents Sue and Geoff.

Paul and Emma told their sister: "You have been our sister for many years, we've laughed together and shed some tears.

"We have had harsh words and pulled some hair, we were the terrific three.

"Our times together were too few, we just wanted to say we love you.

"We promise Keziah will know all about her mommy and how happy her mommy was after she was born. We will always love and protect Keziah."

Her parents wrote: "You can remember only she is gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on."

The congregation was told Katy loved music, especially Coldplay, and TV programmes like Bad Girls and Footballers' Wives.

The former pupil at Park Hall Secondary School, in Water Orton, also had a passion for reading The Chronicles of Narnia. The minister said she read the book her mum gave her over and over and would quote passages from memory.

After the service the family invited people to contribute to a memory box being created for Keziah.

Katy collapsed at her flat, in Winwood Way, Smiths Wood, on September 28, two weeks after Keziah was born.

Paramedics tried to revive her and she was rushed to Heartlands Hospital but later died. The family do not yet know what caused her death and an inquest has been opened and adjourned.

A trust fund is being set up for Keziah. For more details contact Katy's mum Sue by e-mail to suzanne.rose@blueyonder.co.uk