Creative Huddersfield dad honoured with coffin decorated in his own artwork after falling in love with colouring

Funerals can be quite a sombre occasion for many but a unique request from one family for a coloured-in coffin was the perfect way for them to celebrate their loved one’s life.
Lizzie Murphy
By Lizzie Murphy
Published 3rd Apr 2024, 16:45 BST

When Ian Fellows died at the age of 80, his Huddersfield-based children, Alison and Peter, knew they wanted a service that would celebrate his love for art while also being eco-friendly.

Mr Fellows loved arts and crafts his entire life and enjoyed making gifts for loved ones. As he got older and developed Alzheimer’s, he fell in love with colouring-in – going through hundreds of books and thousands of felt tip pens.

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When Alison and Peter met funeral director, Zoe Midgley, at Co-op Funeralcare Brighouse, on Huddersfield Road, they had an unusual request for her: to decorate their dad’s eco-friendly cardboard coffin with the pieces of art that he had created over the last couple of years.

Ian Fellows during his retirement completing a crossword.Ian Fellows during his retirement completing a crossword.
Ian Fellows during his retirement completing a crossword.

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Kirsty Rigg, funeral arranger at the funeral home, came on board and worked hard to pull off the special request, spending several hours cutting and sticking the pictures to the coffin showcasing Mr Fellows’ final masterpieces. The result was unveiled on the day of the service as the hearse arrived, much to the guests’ amazement – and the family’s delight.

Alison said: “It changed the feeling of the day. Having such a personal touch brought a smile to the faces of people we drove past, and many of the people at the service commented how touched they were.

“No family looks forward to the funeral of a loved one, but having dad’s coffin decorated with his art certainly brought a touch of joy and happiness to the day. For the family, it brought a little bit of happiness to a day we were dreading. Dad would have so deeply enjoyed that people got to see his artworks in a final showing and the colour and pattern was so uplifting.

When Ian Fellows' children Alison and Peter met funeral director, Zoe Midgley, at Co-op Funeralcare Brighouse they had an unusual request for her: to decorate their dad’s eco-friendly cardboard coffin with the pieces of art that he had created over the last couple of years.When Ian Fellows' children Alison and Peter met funeral director, Zoe Midgley, at Co-op Funeralcare Brighouse they had an unusual request for her: to decorate their dad’s eco-friendly cardboard coffin with the pieces of art that he had created over the last couple of years.
When Ian Fellows' children Alison and Peter met funeral director, Zoe Midgley, at Co-op Funeralcare Brighouse they had an unusual request for her: to decorate their dad’s eco-friendly cardboard coffin with the pieces of art that he had created over the last couple of years.
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“We cannot express our thanks enough for the care and the personalisation of our dad’s funeral.”

Ms Midgley added: “At Co-op Funeralcare we believe that funerals have evolved, with many families now choosing to celebrate a loved one’s life and honour the things that were important to them.

“Alison and Peter were over the moon when they saw the beautifully decorated coffin – it was personalised in such a wonderful way that brought joy and comfort to everyone who knew Ian.”

Related topics:Huddersfield