A CAVALCADE of 80 motorbikes escorted a 97-year-old lifelong motorcycle enthusiast on her final journey from her Southampton home to her funeral.
Lily Flood, described by her family as always living her life at full throttle, was taken from her home of 57 years in Priory Road, St Denys to the service at Southampton Crematorium joined by dozens of members of Southampton and District Motorcycle Club, a group she had been involved in for 60 years.
Daughter Ruth Windibank told the Daily Echo: “Bystanders who didn’t know who was being escorted would have been forgiven for thinking that it was some young motorcyclist that had died in an accident, not a 97 year old lady.
“My brother and I were truly humbled by the number of not only the motorcyclists but the friends and neighbours who lined the road.
“A wonderful send off for a lady that touched so many peoples lives.”
Born near Winchester in 1922, Lily moved to Southampton at the start of World War II and lived in Northam where she was a fire warden patrolling the streets at night with her dog, looking for fires caused by falling bombs.
In 1951, she met Peter at a Southampton Guildhall dance. They married the next year and set up home in The Polygon before moving to St Denys in 1963.
The couple were keen motorcyclists and helped organise race meetings for the Southampton club at Thruxton, Beaulieu and Matchams. Lily even made members of the club TV stars when she recommended them for the show Freewheelers during her long spell working in the accounts department of Southern Television.
Lily lived and worked most of her life in Southampton and was also a member of Eastleigh & District Model Boat Club and a former chairman of Royal British Legion, Manor Branch, Womens Section as well as being heavily involved with Southampton Allotments Association over the years.
Daughter Ruth added: “She would do anything for anybody. If she couldn’t do it, she knew somebody who could. She was a well-respected lady who lived her life at full throttle.”
Lily, who passed away peacefully at St Annes Nursing Home on July 18, had her funeral on Friday.
She leaves children Ruth and Steven, grandchildren Jaime, Robert, Daniel, Hannah, Dominique and Tom, and great grandchildren Charlie, Isabel, Ethan, Anna, Harvey-Lee, Ayla, Max, Ruben and Kairo with another on the way.
Make sure you have subscribed to our Facebook page or Twitter to stay tuned!
Source: Southern Daily Echo by Lorelei Reddin