ASHES OF LAST TITANIC SURVIVOR SCATTERED AT SEA

THE ASHES OF THE LAST SURVIVOR OF THE TITANIC WERE SCATTERED RECENTLY IN THE WATERS WHERE THE ILL-FATED SHIP SET SAIL. MILLVINA DEAN, WHO WAS NINE WEEKS OLD WHEN THE LINER SANK AFTER HITTING AN ICEBERG, DIED ON 31.MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE DISASTER IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 15.APRIL.1912, RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF 1,517 PEOPLE IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC, LARGELY DUE TO A LACK OF LIFEBOATS. "WE HAD HER FOR 97 YEARS AND WE FEEL LUCKY FOR THAT. WE WOULD HAVE HAD HER FOR ANOTHER 97 YEARS, IF WE COULD HAVE. IT WAS A VERY MOVING CEREMONY AND THE SUN SHONE ON HER RIGHT AT THE END", A FAMILY FRIEND WAS QUOTED AS AFTER THE SERVICE. "SHE WAS A LOVELY LADY AND ANYONE WHO MET HER WOULD SAY EXACTLY THE SAME." THE SIMPLE CEREMONY FOLLOWED A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST MARY'S CHURCH, COPYTHORNE, HAMPSHIRE, WHERE DEAN WAS CHRISTENED AND WHERE HER FUNERAL WAS HELD EARLIER THIS YEAR. AROUND 150 PEOPLE, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH TITANIC SOCIETY AND FRIENDS OF DEAN, GATHERED THERE TO PAY THEIR LAST RESPECTS. DEAN, THE LATE PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH TITANIC SOCIETY, WAS GIVEN A QUIET FAMILY ONLY FUNERAL IN JUNE. ELIZABETH GLADYS DEAN, KNOWN TO FRIENDS AS MILLVINA, WAS BORN ON 2.FEBRUARY.1912 AND BOARDED THE DOOMED SHIP WITH HER PARENTS BERTRAM FRANK AND GEORGETTE EVA AND HER ELDER BROTHER BERTRAM. THE FAMILY, WHO WERE THIRD-CLASS PASSENGERS, WERE EMIGRATING TO WICHITA, KANSAS, WHERE HER FATHER HAD HOPED TO OPEN A TOBACCONIST SHOP. WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED, HER FATHER FELT THE SHIP SHUDDER AND QUICKLY TOLD HIS FAMILY TO GO ON DECK. DEAN, HER MOTHER AND BROTHER WERE AMONG THE FIRST STEERAGE PASSENGERS TO ESCAPE THE SINKING LINER BUT HER FATHER WAS UNABLE TO GET ON A LIFEBOAT AND PERISHED IN THE DISASTER. THE FAMILY RETURNED TO SOUTHAMPTON, WHERE DEAN WENT ON TO SPEND MOST OF HER LIFE.