Eulogy Else Berte Rosina Nolte was born into this world in Oldenburg in northwest Germany on the 11th day of February 1924, one of four children born to Ernst and Ella Nolte, with Heinz, Walter and Margot all younger than she was. Whilst Else was still but a child, they as a family left Germany to begin a new life in Long Island, New York and they were there until, when because of World War II, they returned to Germany. So 1942 they found themselves back in Germany, and with war in full swing, she didn’t have a lot of choice as an 18 year old lass but to be incorporated into the land army, then on to building the V2 Rockets and therein she worked for the rest of the war. Post-war, Else worked for the Canadian army as an interpreter/translator and out of this particular work, she was to gain a lot more than just employment, you see it was during that time she met Edward John Tricket, who has served as an officer in the Indian army, but was now working with the NAAFI in Germany. Love blossomed between Else and John and they returned to England and married at Pagham Church of England in West Sussex, on the 21st day of January 1949. John worked as a butcher, they settled there and of course went on to have their only child, their daughter Zoe in 1957, but tougher times were to come her way as her beloved John was sadly taken from our midst in 1966, leaving her on her own with her 9 year old daughter. But this lady did find love a second time when she met Frederick Birch, better known as Twig, love blossomed once more, they set up home together in Shiplake, Henley on Thames, there she lived until she was unfortunate enough to be widowed a second time, it was actually when he was poorly that they got around to getting married on the 8th of October 1986 and Twig died the following year 1987. She sold up and moved to a smaller property in Oxford and settled there at that time, but with Zoe now married to William and living in Scotland and the grandchildren living there, she sold up and moved to Aberdour here in Fife in 1993, the place that has remained her home ever since. She built a whole new life for herself, she made so many friends here, she had her daughter, son-in-law and her grandchildren, Alice born in 1987, Nicky in 1989 and Jennifer in 1995, all nearby, and really, she never looked back from there. She was Oma to her grandchildren and while Else was your old-schooled, typical German Haus Frau, she enjoyed having her grandchildren and they have memories of weekends with Oma, heading off down the Black Sands and truth be told, she did like to spoil her grandchildren as well. They tried to get Oma to teach them German, but she was not up for that, I dare say the sores of Post war Britain were not the nicest, I don’t suppose she got the finest nor fairest welcome when she arrived here in the 1940s and that stigma was still there, and she would not have wanted her grandchildren bearing the brunt of that. A lady who took pride in her home, yet allowed her grandchildren to make up tents in their rooms and have fun just the same, but suffice to say, they all knew the score, they knew how Oma liked things and endeavoured to stick within those boundaries. A small family in that sense of the word, yet on saying that she gained two stepchildren in her union with Twig, David and Diana, who would have been in their teens, but she kept in touch and knew the family, David marrying Jackie and having two children, Charlotte and Charles; while Diana married Henry and they have Harry. And while geographically she and her siblings are all along way apart, Margot in Germany and the boys returned to America post war, she never lost that close, close bond with Heinz, to the point where they would speak most days on the phone and there could be half hour calls.. Holidays were never a big thing, she did return to Germany once to visit and see relatives there when Zoe was all of about 5 years old and went to London the following year, where she bought a new umbrella at Harrods and lost it the same day, a big thing in those days. In her years with Twig, with him being a photographer and traveling extensively across Europe, she did travel regularly with him, and her brothers would have come from America with their respective wives and families visited Else here and her niece Heidi, Heinz’s daughter would come and do a lot of golfing here in Scotland and enjoy quality time with her Aunt Else while here. Once here in Fife, travel was not big on Else’s agenda, she was contented with her home and garden, an avid gardener, wherever she has lived through the years, she took immense pride in both her home and her garden, loving flowers, shrubs and trees. She was right into her embroidery as well and drew a lot of pleasure from time spent doing her needle work for a lot of years. Else was a bright and intelligent lady and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the Daily Telegraph crossword and by the way, she could finish it pretty much every time. There in her home she also enjoyed a bit of television, a good murder mystery, Agatha Christie or similar, she’d watch the Proms, the Ballets and such likes and did enjoy the Vienna Boys Choir each Christmas, they were a must watch, year in, year out. In more recent years, Else did find the QVC channel and seemed to enjoy spending there as well, whether that be on family or friends. While she has many friends in Aberdour, Anne and her husband Geoff moved in around the same time and have been such a huge part of her life ever since, she appreciated all you did for her, and her love and friendship rolled onto their children and grandchildren. Truth be told, Anne and Geoff, you were a God-send there, looking out for Else. Else was a bright and intelligent lady and through property moves over the years and down-sizing to Oxford then moving north, she was wise with her money, she was astute, Else invested well in stocks and shares and could fully understand these markets and lived incredibly independently throughout her life and having that independence was of the upmost importance to this lady. Life was not always easy, but Else never laid down to anything, stood on her own two feet made her way in life and she was incredibly generous as well to her family and loved ones. She had a mighty fine circle of friends there in Aberdour, she enjoyed hosting and entertaining, so long as things remained within her control. She has enjoyed entertaining right throughout her life, there have been house parties since Zoe was a little girl. She was chatty and should you find yourself next to or sitting opposite her on a train or bus or in public, Else had her own innate way of finding out your whole life story in a very short space of time, you may not have felt like sharing your story, but Else got it and then bled Zoe’s ears the next time she saw her telling her all about so-n-so she’d met. The latter few years of her life, Else has been slowing down physically, mobility getting more challenging all the while and in has to be said, being the independent lady she was, she did not enjoy having carers and people, with what felt like invading her space, she was just a proud matriarchal lady, but she did appreciate their kindness. There have been several hospitals visits this year, but Else went in to the Queen Margaret Hospital here in Dunfermline in August and it was there the closing weeks of her life were spent, passing away on Wednesday 4th September 2019, leaving her family, feeling her loss, but grateful for her long years and for the way she has touched each one of their lives. A long life, well lived and she will live on in all she has instilled in you her family, in all she has imparted to you her friends and she will live on now in the memories that each and every one of you hold dear from this day forward. Thank you Else Thank you for all the good times and the happy memories Thank you for your years on earth and for all that you have taught your family about life Thank you for all your quiet loving ways and your kindness And thank you most of all Else for just being you You have filled your niche in this world and accomplished your tasks And you leave this world and all who have known you richer, because of you. Your life we honour Your departure we accept Your memory we cherish In grief at your death But in gratitude for your life We are truly grateful for the privilege of having shared life with you. Rest now at the end of your days Your work is done Rest in the hearts and minds of all who love you And if we can learn from her experience And profit from her example Perhaps we can live better lives for having known Else Birch

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