funeral for childhood friend...would you go?

[Mermaid04]

A childhood friend passed away I haven’t seen her for over 10 years. I’ve been invited to go, but I feel rubbish that I’ve had no contact for over 10 years. I feel bad for the lack of contact. Would you go?

Yes

A ten year gap in the relationship doesn’t negate the previous time you spent together. I would go.

Of family have asked you then definitely go.

Yes. The number of people who attended my dads funeral was very comforting to me (he died fairly young) I didn’t know 90% of them but it was nice to see the Church so packed. I went to a funeral recently and hadn’t seen the deceased more than 3/4 times in 30 years. It meant a lot to his mother who was good to me as a child.

Yes, I'd go.

Yep

Yes, definitely.

Depends how practical it is for you.
Who 'invited you' ? Only, most funerals are announced as 'these are the details', and people aren't usually invited.

I heard recently of a childhood friend dying, and I didn't feel the need to go - I've not seen him in 15 years, and we were close as children 40 years ago, but not really kept in touch.
What I'm saying is, don't feel you ought to go, but also, don't feel awkward about going. Do what feels right for you.

Yes, most definitely go

Your childhood friends family will know you and recognise you as a long time friend, it will bring them comfort. Please go

Yes

Yes, because it will comfort her family to have her childhood friends there. Do NOT say anything about the 10 year no contact to anyone else present. This is not about you.

No, I wouldn't. Not after ten years.

I probably would. It's paying respect to your friend. People lose contact over the years or contact simmers down gradually. Doesn't mean you don't want to pay respects. I have been to funerals of people I don't even know because the family member is a close friend and I go to support them and pay respects.

I'd go to a childhood friend's funeral as a way to pay respects and chances are you will run into other people you haven't seen for many years doing the same thing. It could bring you together with people you lost touch with which is always a nice way to pay respects by reminiscing the old days with those people.

It's not unusual for people to attend funerals that weren't close to the person or didn't even know the person for various reasons.

Yes I would.

Yes

Yes. I would not go to the drink bit afterwards unless there were people going I knew fairly well, but the funeral bit yes I would. Childhood friends are important to most of us even if we haven't seen them for years.

Yes

Yes I would. My Dad died a couple of years ago at nearly 80, it gave me great comfort to see the number of people who traveled (some hundreds of miles) to pay their respects. Some were work colleagues from 50 years earlier who he hadn't seen for donkeys years.

Yes absolutely you should go

No.

Honestly I think if any of my late H's "childhood friends" had showed up to the service, there'd have been trouble. What, none of you fuckers showed up when he was ill? You just waited til he was obligatory dead then did the 4 hours of service + wake?

Let me just leave this here because its upsetting me, but children shouldn't have to forage for their own food because there's nowt at home.

I think it would depend on logistics. If it were local and I could get the time off work, then yes.

If it meant travelling miles and/or difficult to get time off, then no, and would just send a card.

You are not obliged to go.

Yes, she was important part of your life for a long time. Your attendance pays respect to her and your friendship, and it will bring comfort to her family.

Please go.

One of my best friends from school died. We’d found each other on Friends Reunited after not being in touch for twenty years. I couldn’t make it to her funeral, but had it been possible, I would have in a heartbeat. I regret not having gone.

She’s still there in my head. People lose contact. Doesn’t mean they weren’t an important part of your past.