Mourners remember 'beautiful' Emily
4:16pm Friday 16th May 2008
FRIENDS and family of a Trimpley woman killed in an extreme sports accident in New Zealand gathered at a Kidderminster church to remember the "beautiful and adventurous" 21-year-old.
Mourners filled St Mary's Church, most wearing a touch of baby blue, to pay tribute to Emily Jordan, who died while riverboarding on April 29.
The congregation stood as Emily's family walked into the church to the song, Time After Time, by Cyndi Lauper.
The moving service was led by Canon Owain Bell, who read the opening prayer.
During his welcome speech, he said: "We have come here to celebrate the life of a very beautiful, very adventurous, very brilliant young woman."
There was a mixture of tears and laughter as Emily's father, Chris Jordan, paid tribute during the service to his "intelligent" daughter, who had a passion for art.
He said he was doing the tribute, as Emily would expect nothing else and he thanked everyone for their "incredible" support.
He added: "Everyone has been devastated by the death of Emily. As a family, we miss and grieve for her in a way that's impossible to describe to anyone who has not experienced this, epecially as she's been taken from us in such a cruel and unnecessary way.
"To me, it seems unreal to stand here running through Emily's life achievements."
He said she began to show maturity from the age of eight and had the head of a 28-year-old at that age.
He went on to talk about his memories of Emily on family trips to Twycoss Zoo and diving in the Maldives.
"She made a huge impression in her school with her ability to work and play hard, " he said.
After taking A levels at the former Alice Ottley school, in Worcester, Emily went on to graduate in law from Swansea University with a first class degree.
Mr Jordan said he was very happy with her decision to study at the university, adding: "That's a place where she met very fantastic people.
"She started a women's lacrosse team in her second year and became captain in her third year.
"At Swansea University, she met and started to go out with Jonathan, a great guy.
I would like to say thank you Johnny, from the bottom of our hearts, for bringing Em joy in her last two years.
"Emily's always been very competent in the water. Emily was intelligent and beautiful. She had so much more to give to the world.
"The things she did and her ability to be comfortable with herself - maybe she's done all the things that she needed to do on this Earth and has been called to do something more important.
"Some of the most beautiful flowers in the world last a short while. That does not mean they don't bring great joy to the world.
"As a family, we have changed over the last couple of weeks. Em was put on this Earth to make people stand back and look at what they have.
"She touched so many people around her, in such a wonderful way."
He added that Emily was inspirational and had fantastic wit and sense of humour.
"I'm sure that she will live on for the rest of our lives and we will all see her again some day," he said.
Emily was on a six-month trip with her boyfriend at the time of her death.