Babette
14 August 2021
Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director
Babette
I am very sorry to tell you that Babette died peacefully at home on Sunday evening. She was in the bed that we’d set up in our main room (that we live, cook, eat and talk in) and she died in the late afternoon of last Sunday 8th August. Despite the ample warning that we’d had, I’d naively thought this would lessen the blow. It didn’t seem to. She was my closest friend, the person with whom I could discuss anything, however controversial, and without fear of judgement and there existed between us a deep appreciation of the other. I suppose this is what is very often referred to as love. Her death hit me and my three children like a sledgehammer, and that is roughly where we still are, as I write this on Thursday morning.
Has it all been misery? No, in fact early that evening, Shirley and Helen, two of Babette’s closest friends came round to “say goodbye” before the undertakers took her body away. We opened a bottle of wine and sat round enjoying memories of Babette, and there was a good deal of laughter mixed in there, along with a variety of other emotions. Josie remarked the next day that she hadn’t expected to be laughing and enjoying herself so shortly after her mum died. She’d expected everyone to just be sad and maudlin. But in fact for us there’s been a mixture of emotions, happy memories that bring laughter, tears of joy, and tears of sadness and of loss, and a few sledgehammer moments thrown in for good measure.
I’m aware that this will have been a shock to you, especially if you’ve met her in the past or felt you knew her through her writing the updates, or maybe you knew her quite well. So, if this describes you, then thank you for joining me, my family, my colleagues, friends and neighbours in mourning the death of a woman who enriched and often challenged the lives of those she met.
My warm regards to you.
Andrew
P.S. If you feel moved to reply to my email, may I ask you to do so here, partly and selfishly so I don’t feel obliged to reply, and I want everyone to see how she has been seen in her life.
For instance, for me she has been such a force for questioning the status quo that, if you have example you want to share of how she touched your life, I’d be delighted to hear it and suspect others will as well.
Thank you.”
I’m very sad and I think of you Andrew et all your family and her friends…You have welcomed me.
What I remembered of Babeth? A great Human Being: Hospitality, joy, “bon vivant”, pianist, psychologist, our fews
“big” discussion about life, very directly and she had got the “right words” to speak to other people and
I was impressed by the love she had for her family.
The last time I spoke with Babeth was during my “recorded interview” for high school diploma last year. The
subject was about management of firm . Trought this interview, I discovered her and your vision of life and how you conciliate
human beings and business with a great respect of all your team, the life and all yours interlocutors.
I pray for strenght for you and I hope that the story will continue. Kiss your family for me….
Fabrice
Sorry for my words, I’m not an English-man!
Babette was a wonderfull woman…. The first time I met her, I was 12 years old… It was in France, in my parents house and we sang Taizé songs all evening…. and few years later, she welcomed me in her family as an au-pair… I spent 3 years in Reigate, I worked in Art of living too… And thanks to her, I met people from l’Arche, and I finally became a social worker…. I won’t be who I’m today if I hadn’t met Babette. She helped me having faith in myself and in human beings and also to “speak with my guts” (as she often said). She was there for my wedding in France, which was very important to me… and I’m happy she met my children… last time in 2019… Babette, you always be in my heart.
I send all my support and love to you Andrew and to Jonathan, Jeanne and Josephine….
I was so sorry to hear this sad news. Nothing can ever really prepare a person/family for this loss. Thinking of you all.
Bless you, I have such fond memories of Babette. A beautiful soul and so generous of heart .
Love to you and the family
I am so moved by your beautiful writing about Babette, you encapsulate that terrific spark of hers and the spirited way in which she lived her life and energised everyone who met her. You were indeed very blessed to have her in your life and I am sure she will live on in all that you and your family do. My thoughts are with you all.