Unique funeral planned for tragic Cathy

A unique funeral service is being planned by the grieving parents of deceased Felpham mum Cathy Madden.

The emotional occasion will feature ministers from three religions to reflect the unusual combination of beliefs which met in Mrs Madden's life.

Her mother and father, Jo and Peter Oates, told the Observer: "We are making the arrangements for Cathy's funeral.

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"Her post-mortem examination was straightforward so we are able to go ahead and do that.

"The service will be at St Mary's Church in Felpham and will feature the Methodist minister, a Roman Catholic priest and the Church of England vicar."

The mixture arises from Cathy's upbringing as a Roman Catholic faith to which Mr and Mrs Oates still adhere, her daughter Keira's christening in the Anglican faith and the fact their next door neighbour was a Methodist minister.

"The service is likely to be held next month rather than this month," said Mr Oates, 71, who lives in Felpham.

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"We don't want to do it before our new grandson is born. He is due to be born to the wife of our son, Christopher, 35, who lives in Spain, at the end of July.

"We know the baby is going to be a boy and we want him to be born so we have another grandchild before we hold Cathy's funeral.

"Keira's funeral is being arranged by her father but the post-mortem investigations are still going on so the arrangements can't be made yet."

The lives of former Butlins office worker Mr Oates and his

72-year-old wife have been numbed by the double blow of being told at the same time about the loss of their only daughter and their only grandchild.

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"I just feel a numbness," he said. "Sometimes I'm reasonable and then something will trigger me off and I collapse. Our lives have been left in limbo.

"We obviously don't know what really went on with Cathy and Keira and that doesn't help. We understand Keira died on the Friday (July 2) and Cathy on the Saturday.

"I have been trying to keep busy to keep my mind from thinking about it. I volunteer for Sammy community transport taking patients to hospital and I have continued to do that when work is available.

"I have to keep doing things. It's the only way I can survive."

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Mrs Oates said: "We have been lifted up by so much love, which has helped. Cathy is still with us.

"We have been helped by the so many happy memories we have of her.

"But, like Peter, something will trigger me off and I will burst into tears. I feel like I am on a rollercoaster. I'm climbing up to the top and I've got to get to the top before I go down."

Mr and Mrs Oates have received some 25 cards of condolences but several hundred messages, toys, balloons and cards have been left outside the detached house on Roundle Avenue where Cathy, 41, and four-year-old Keira lived.

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The distressing sequence of events began for Mr and Oates on the afternoon of July 3. The police made contact because Cathy's car had been found abandoned at Birling Gap at Eastbourne.

Mr Madden accompanied the police officers to his daughter and granddaughter's house. He said: "I can't believe what happened. The police would not let me into the house.

"Then a police officer came out and brought me home. He told me Keira was in the house and it was as if she had fallen asleep."

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