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Funeral cortege leaves Blessed Sacrament Church in Barnsbury |
Fiancée says last farewell to her ‘big friendly giant’
Tributes to carpenter killed when building site crane toppled
CRAIG Page, the carpenter killed on a construction site earlier this month, was remembered as a “one-in-a-million” partner and father by his fiancée at his funeral on Friday.
Michelle O’Donoghue’s moving tribute to the man she had known for 10 years and called “Craigy” was read out by the Reverend Jim Kennedy at the Blessed Sacrament Church in Barnsbury, where the couple had planned to marry.
Their 14-month-old daughter Shannon was recently baptised at the Copenhagen Street church.
More than 200 mourners filled the church, with more lining the streets outside, to pay their final respects to Craig, 26, who lived with his family in nearby Caledonian Road.
He died on a building site in Denning Road, Hampstead, after a five-tonne crane toppled over and crushed him while he was at work.
An inquest has been opened and the Health and Safety Executive and police are investigating his death.
After the service, his heartbroken family touched the coffin before it was taken by horse-drawn carriage to Islington Crematorium in East Finchley, where two white doves were released into dazzling sunshine.
Hundreds of wreaths filled the funeral cars, including one shaped like a fish – he was a keen angler – and another like a football.
Through Fr Kennedy, Michelle paid tribute to a great man and fantastic father who never had a bad word to say about anyone.
Describing him as a “big friendly giant” who was “always on the go”, she fondly remembered his habit of taking things apart before putting them back together.
“Nine times out of ten he would have left over screws or springs and swear blind they didn’t come from whatever he was doing,” she said. “He didn’t like to be proven wrong, but that just made it funnier.”
She added: “Craig was one in a million and I am so happy we got to share many, many years together. Oh how I wish we were blessed with many, many more.”
She promised to make sure their daughter – who “looks so much like him” – never forgets her father, pledging: “I have so many fond memories which I will share with Shannon when she is old enough to understand... we will never forget him.”
Her tribute ended with “I love you Craig” before poignantly signing off with the words “sleep tight” and his nickname for her, “Twinkle”. She added: “I am going to miss him calling me Twinkle.”
Fr Kennedy told the congregation that, although mourners may be angry about how Craig died and have lots of questions about how it happened, they should leave it in the hands of investigators. |
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