Hundreds pack church to pay final respects to Ilkley crash victim Jackie Emmott (From Ilkley Gazette)
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Hundreds pack church to pay final respects to Ilkley crash victim Jackie Emmott
3:16pm Friday 5th October 2012 in News
Mourners gather at the funeral service for Jackie Emmott
Hundreds of people – including senior figures from Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police – gathered at Ilkley’s Church of the Sacred Heart on Friday to pay tribute to much-loved resident Jackie Emmott.
Keighley and Ilkley MP, Kris Hopkins, Deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Mike Gibbons, and Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Mark Milsom, were among those who attended the funeral, which celebrated the life of Mrs Emmott.
The service was led by parish priest, Monsignor Keiran Heskin.
A former West Yorkshire Police welfare officer and Bradford University counsellor, Mrs Emmott, 67, died after a two-car crash on Hangingstone Road on September 16.
She leaves her husband, former Bradford councillor Tony Emmott, two children and four grandchildren. Her own father, Jack, in his 90s, made the journey from Lytham in Lancashire to Ilkley for the service.
Known to many through her work, Mrs Emmott was also an active volunteer, working for Victim Support and Bradford Bereavement Society. As a police welfare officer, she became an expert in addressing post-traumatic stress disorder.
Reading the eulogy, family friend, solicitor Reg Le Pla, said Mrs Emmott loved her work, especially dealing with high-profile cases, such as counselling police officers after a stand-off siege at a flat in Rastrick and joining the county-wide counselling team after the Hillsborough disaster.
The reading also brought a lighter note to the service, with anecdotes about Mrs Emmott’s life and her sense of humour.
“Her light will continue to shine brightly, whilst ever there are people who remember her,” said Mr Le Pla.
Another friend of the family, solicitor Bill Hudson, read Victor Hugo’s Parable of Immortality, and there were readings by Judith Yaxley and Lesley Whittaker.
Bidding prayers were read by grandchildren Hugo and Benedict.
The service was followed by a private burial service at Nab Wood in Bradford, and Mrs Emmott’s family invited friends to join them later at The Ilkley Moor Vaults pub and restaurant.
