Hundreds at funeral of popular football coach Max

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news ... 3834575.jp

By Mark Lewis
Monday, 12.45pm: Hundreds of mourners gathered at Peterborough Crematorium to say their goodbyes to a popular football coach remembered as a small man with a huge lust for life.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at Peterborough Crematorium to say their goodbyes to a popular football coach remembered as a small man with a huge lust for life.

Friends and relatives of postman Max Patel (39) filled the chapel to overflowing, while a large gathering of mourners who were determined to pay their respects braved the bitter wind outside to listen to the service through the open doors.

Around 90 of Mr Patel's Royal Mail colleagues from the Papyrus Road depot formed a guard of honour for the father-of-four on Saturday, lining the road into the crematorium and bowing their heads as the cortege went past.

A solid blue mass of work colleagues in their uniforms followed behind to join the massed ranks congregated outside.

With a piper leading the way and playing Amazing Grace, the coffin was carried towards the chapel draped in a Liverpool FC shirt bearing the club's motto, You'll Never Walk Alone.

The tributes were led by Mr Patel's brother, Jai (42), who described him as always smiling and "crazy", with a fondness for practical jokes which had once seen him lock the staff of a Burger King branch inside their building on the way back from Wembley.

Jai recalled their childhood in Peterborough, spent mixing with people of all cultures and sharing a love of football, which had led his brother to form and coach Netherton Blue Jays under-8s team in later life.

He added that Mr Patel had gone on to be a father to Arron (11), Kai (9), Jayden (7), and daughter Tehya (3), with a love of family life and camping trips, which had earned him the nickname "Firestarter".

In a brave reference to his brother's death, which is not being treated as suspicious by police, Mr Patel said he had been troubled by "a few problems" like everyone, but had been sorting them out before his body was found at his home in Western Avenue, Dogsthorpe on Friday, February 22.

Mr Patel told an estimated 500 mourners his brother had been described as the "biggest, brightest star in the night sky", and was "irreplaceable".

The tributes were followed by a recording of actor John Hannah reciting the W H Auden poem Stop All The Clocks, made famous by the film Four Weddings And A Funeral.

As Mr Patel's body was committed for cremation, the theme Elysium from the film Gladiator was played in the chapel.

Friends have continued to post condolences to Mr Patel's family on The Evening Telegraph's website over the last few days, with friends now living as far afield as Holland and South Africa sharing their memories of him from their childhood at Newark Hill Primary School.

[L Tommo]

RIP......


Heart felt condolances for the Friends and Family at this sad time...



TOMMO X

[leader]

RIP......


Heart felt condolances for the Friends and Family at this sad time...



TOMMO X

cheers Tommo. Peterborough thanks you. We are missing a good man in the delivery office. RIP Max.

[kay_thebigbird]

So young, life can be so cruel & such young children thinking of you all. xx