Family farewell for Fiona Coyne
2010-08-24 23:18
Jana Breytenbach, Die Burger
Cape Town - Family members of TV personality Fiona Coyne placed red roses on her coffin on Tuesday as they bid her farewell.
Her memorial was held on a sunny Winter's morning in the St Peters Catholic church in Strand, after her body was discovered in her home in Fish Hoek last Wednesday.
She committed suicide.
About 150 family members and friends attended the service.
On the cover of the funeral programme was a photo of a field of indigenous orange flowers.
Outside the church one could hear clearly how upset friends and family members were. The media were not allowed in the church.
Father Kevin Dadswell led the service. The eulogy was delivered by Celeste Coles.
Very upset
After the memorial, which lasted about an hour, six pallbearers - including her oldest brother, Charles Coyne, and her ex-husband, Willie Fritz - carried the coffin from the church to the hearse.
Bright red roses were handed out to the family, who placed them on the coffin, one by one. Dolly Coyne, Fiona's mother, had to be supported by two family members when it was her turn to place a rose on her daughter's coffin.
Dadswell said a last prayer.
"My mother is very upset," Charles Coyne said afterwards.
He added that his mother is still severely shocked and is finding it difficult to deal with the death of her daughter.
"We're going to try and pick up the pieces and carry on with our lives now."
Zoleka Shumani, who discovered her employer's body, was also there to say farewell.
Coyne will be cremated later this week.