Can you "replace" Godparents?

[isitwineoclockyet]

My DD's wonderful Godmother died recently. She now has just one (also wonderful) Godparent left. It seems like a big gap in her life :-( I know that one lovely Godmother is better than half a dozen disinterested ones (& my own have taken no interest in my life since they handed over the obligatory bible and silver bangle), but it just doesn't feel right. I wish we had asked the husband of the one who has died when we had DD baptised. There is no reason why we didn't. I would really like it if he would step in, but it seems a lot to just assume he'll do it (& of course he won't have made the promises to DD that his wife did). Other than him, there is no one I'd particularly like to ask, so it's more an abstract idea than something I'm burning to do. It's something that has been circling my brain since the Godmother passed away, but yesterday one of DH's elderly relatives asked if we'd thought of "replacing" (sorry, awful word, she can't be replaced but you know what I mean) the Godmother.
Is it a really stupid/wrong idea? Is it even feasible? Is grief making me talk rubbish? I would appreciate your thoughts - please be gentle though - I'm sobbing into my keyboard over the Godmother who has gone :-(

I?m sorry for your loss.
There?s no reason why any friend should not step in to a sort of honourary-Godparent role, supporting and being involved with your daughter, perhaps acting as sponsor if/when your daughter gets confirmed so they have an official role? But perhaps as an additional person rather than a 'replacement'.
FWIW, when my own Godfather died I continued to think of him as something akin to my personal guardian angel, watching out for me and his other godchildren from heaven ? it would not have seemed right to me to replace him at all, he is still my Godfather, even though he died a long time ago now.

Aww - thanks Acorntree. I hadn't even thought of it like that, but it seems very obvious and "right" reading that.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

Your friends husband may like the idea of continuing his wifes role and maintaining that link with your family.

I am a 'bonus' godparent. My Goddaughters Godfather left her aunt when she was 5, hence he was no longer in my goddaughters life. She decided (aged 6) just after I became Godmother to her brother I should be her Godmother too and just started calling me it so I went along with it. Though I have not made the baptismal promises I was with her during her confirmation and the church minister has always referred to me as her Godmother. She has recently (aged 20) introduced me to her first serious boyfriend as her Godmother, so even now she is older it is obviously still important to her.

Thanks Chrisrobin. The Godmother's husband did give us something very special at the funeral to pass on to DD, so he/they had obviously thought about her in the lead up to her dying. We used to write to the Godmother, but always addressed the letters to both of them (assuming that being a bloke, he probably didn't even read them). I thought of just carrying on doing that, but feel slightly squeamish about the fact that the letters used to say "Dear X, Y and Z" and they will now just say "Dear Y and Z" (if you get my drift!).

It would be a lovely idea if you asked the husband if he could step in as honorary godparent. Why not? You can't go through all the promises thing with him, but as an interested, concerned person in her life. Stress the care/concern in case he thinks he's there to provide the presents!

He's likely to feel really included to be able to step into his wife's role and also be involved in your family life following his bereavement.