TEACHER’S BUCKET HAT FUNERAL WISH
ASEA of bucket hats and beautiful bright colours could be seen at a funeral as mourners made a “funloving” young woman’s final wish come true.
Bethannie Booth, from Merthyr Tydfil, died surrounded by her family on March 31, just weeks after developing cold and flu symptoms. She was just 24.
The popular primary school worker was put in an induced coma, having developed sepsis after contracting Strep A.
When Bethannie believed she wasn’t going to make it, her family said she sent texts setting out instructions for her funeral, with bucket hats top of her list.
Hundreds of family and friends, dressed in vibrant clothes, attended Bethannie’s ceremony at Llwydcoed Crematorium in Rhondda Cynon Taf on Friday afternoon to celebrate her life.
Her mum Leanne Booth said her daughter chose the theme due to her zest for life.
She said: “She just loved life, loved festivals and also had Ibiza booked for her holiday in July. [She] just loved wearing the bucket hat with quirky sunglasses.”
Paying tribute to her daughter, she added: “She was a beautiful young lady with a beautiful soul, fun-loving, caring and lived her life to the full.
“As a nursery teacher, Bethannie took her job very seriously and professionally. I can honestly say I’ve never ever met someone who loved their job as much as her. The children adored her; she was well and truly loved by them all.”
Bethannie was the youngest of three daughters and was dearly loved by her older sisters, Megan, 25, and Nia-Ffion, 27, and younger brother, Corey, 10.
She was an auntie to Parker, three, Caled, four months, and Myles, nine weeks.
Her sister Megan previously said Bethannie loved her nephews very much. She also described how, while Bethannie was in hospital, the children at the school she worked at all wrote cards and messages to her.
“The one thing they all said was how much she made them laugh,” Megan said.
Dad Wayne
Nia-Ffion and said he, Leanne, Megan all held
Bethannie’s hand when she died.
They praised the doctors at both Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital and the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for doing all they could to help and thanked everyone from the consultants to the cleaners.
Following her death, the family wish to raise awareness of sepsis and its symptoms. A fundraiser, which has now closed, raised nearly £8,000 in her memory and went towards giving Bethannie her perfect send-off.
Tributes on the page show how much Bethannie was loved.
Helen and Shaun Phillips said: “Boothy girl. You were not only my workmate but more importantly my friend. I couldn’t ask for a more loyal, funny, inspirational, vivacious person who I’m privileged to call my friend.
“I will always miss you my darling beautiful girl.
“You show them up there how to party because you sure knew how to do it on Earth.”