Fin-omenal funeral for Yorkshire man hooked on fishing

A unique request for a fishing-themed coffin was the perfect way for one Yorkshire family to celebrate their loved one’s life.

When Chris Hodkinson died at the age of 49, his family knew they wanted a service that would celebrate his love of carp fishing, which lead to the rather unique request for funeral arrangers Sam Ward and Joanne Kieswetter at Mexborough Co-op Funeralcare.

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Chris’s passion for the sport began during his childhood when his mum Linda took Chris and his brother David fishing for the very first time.

The duo quickly became mad about it and became members of a small fishing syndicate, disappearing on trips for days on end.

Fin-omenal funeral for man hooked on fishingFin-omenal funeral for man hooked on fishing
Fin-omenal funeral for man hooked on fishing

Linda said: “Chris had all the gear and spent a small fortune over the years on rods, reels, camping equipment and even had a cooking stove. He had all the mod cons; it was like a home from home.”

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So when Chris’s family met with the team at Hartley Street, Mexborough, they had an unusual request for them: a personalised coffin.

The result was unveiled on the day of the service, much to the guests’ amazement and the family’s delight.

Linda said: “I thought it was beautiful and looked so peaceful. I would love it if other fishermen knew that this exists.”

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Fin-omenal funeral for man hooked on fishingFin-omenal funeral for man hooked on fishing
Fin-omenal funeral for man hooked on fishing

Sam said: “We were delighted to support Chris’s family with such a personal request. At Co-op Funeralcare, we believe that funerals have evolved, with many families now choosing to celebrate a loved one’s life by honouring the things that were important to them.

“We take great pride in offering flexibility to fulfil any family's wishes – no matter how big or small they might be – and love helping them find unique, heartfelt and creative ways to say goodbye to their loved ones in the manner they find most fitting – even when it comes to their choice of coffin!

“Families can choose from glitter coffins to hot air balloon print or musical note illustrations. We can also offer bespoke coffins, whereby family members come to us with any special, personal images they might have, and we work with them to incorporate in the coffin design, making the day even more unique.

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“It was a day that was personalised in such a wonderful way, bringing joy and comfort to everyone who knew Chris.”

Find out more about Co-op Funeralcare, Mexborough, here: Funeral Directors in Mexborough, Hartley Street - Co-op (coop.co.uk)

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