Amazing Grace’s sendoff ‘very special’
State funeral honouring McCarthy’s colourful life was, like her, one of a kind
Grace McCarthy had a lot of flair. So it’s fitting that her funeral Wednesday was every bit as dramatic as the woman it was honouring.
“I have never been to one like it,” said business leader Jim Pattison. “It was very special.”
Indeed.
McCarthy was given a state funeral, a nearly two-hour affair that was quite religious but brimming with secular stories from the life of one of B.C.’s legendary politicians.
McCarthy’s casket entered Christ Church Cathedral draped in a Canadian flag, followed by the 750 people in attendance singing O Canada.
Naturally, there was a moving version of Amazing Grace, followed by heartfelt tributes from Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon and Premier Christy Clark.
Guichon hailed McCarthy as “our wonderful first lady of Social Credit,” a woman who left legacies such as “Expo 86, the Vancouver Convention Centre and, of course, Gracie’s Pearls, those delightful lights on the Lions Gate Bridge.”
Guichon borrowed a page from the legislature for her final words, which were addressed directly to Grace, who died May 24.
“I commend you on what you have accomplished during the session,” she said. “On behalf of all British Columbians I wish to express my appreciation for the care and attention you have given to your deliberations, and the service you have provided to our great and beautiful province. I now relieve you of your duties.”
Fittingly, Clark wore a Socred blue jacket.
“She inspired all of us with (the) Supernatural British Columbia (tourism campaign),” Clark said. “She reminded men and women that if we are lucky enough to live here, we can aspire to anything. She made a huge difference to our province — she loved our province and we loved her.”
The most moving tribute came from McCarthy’s daughter, Mary, who inherited her mom’s sense of humour.
“On the odd occasion we would look out at demonstrators in our yard,” she recounted to laughter from the audience. “We had very patient neighbours. The demonstrators were always the same people, so naturally my mom befriended them, much to the distress of their leaders. One time a reporter told my mom he was appalled that someone had dumped a huge pile of manure on our lawn. To which my mom replied she really had to get the fellow’s name who did that — she was going to have the absolute best garden ever, thanks to him.”
Rabbi Yosef Wosk gave an eloquent speech and reading centred around Psalm 23 in the Bible.
He called McCarthy, “God’s own flower girl.”
“She cultivated British Columbia like a diligent gardener,” Wosk said. “Her face was bright and warm, her hair shining like the rays of the sun.
“Her eyes were at once wise and mischievous, always ready for the next great challenge.”
McCarthy knew flowers — she started her own floral shop at age 17, developing it into a successful chain before moving into politics. The pulpit, altar and chapel were overflowing in floral arrangements, something she would have appreciated.
Music was incorporated throughout the service, to great effect. Hearing Christ Church’s mighty pipe organ play O Canada was breathtaking, as were the vocals from Christ Church’s choir.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra conductor Bramwell Tovey did a beautiful solo piano rendition of When You Wish Upon a Star, which segued into Misty. The VSO’s Brass Quintet marked the conclusion of the ceremony with When the Saints Go Marching In, starting off slow and solemn before skipping into a jazzy arrangement that had the audience clapping along.
Outside the church, an old-style, horse-drawn hearse was waiting. As an honour guard of police saluted, McCarthy’s coffin was loaded inside. After a couple minutes, the horses drew the hearse down West Georgia, a stylish sendoff for one of B.C.’s most memorable citizens.