A TREASURED father’s funeral was a “beautiful day filled with so much love” after hundreds of people came together to pay their respects.
Christopher Scales, 40, was laid to rest on Monday afternoon following a poignant ceremony held at Colchester Crematorium, in Mersea Road.
The funeral was funded using money which had been generously donated to the Arsenal fan’s family by the community following his death.
According to Christopher’s wife, Emma Robinson, 150 people attended the touching send-off, while another 50 watched via a livestream.
The father-of-two’s life was then celebrated during a kindness-themed wake at The Artilleryman pub which was overseen by landlord Jim and landlady Sue.
Emma said: “It was absolutely amazing and such a beautiful day filled with so much love - we are so lucky and blessed to have so many amazing people around us.
“It was overwhelming and the whole thing has made us realise how blessed and grateful we are to have so much support – Jim, Sue and their family did us proud.”
Christopher’s funeral comes more than six months after he suddenly left his family home in Colchester on February 1, leaving behind his mobile and wedding ring.
After disappearing and failing to make contact with his wife or his children, Harry, 20, and Lily, 16, a search and rescue operation was launched.
For months his family were left without closure, until his body was eventually discovered at Distillery Pond, just off Old Heath Road, in July.
Emma, Harry, and Lily subsequently left flowers and touching tribute messages at the scene, alongside a family photo which they now plan to add to.
“We took flowers from the crematorium so we can put them at Distillery Pond,” added Emma, who married Christopher on Valentine’s Day 22 years ago.
“My friends Lewis and Darren also got an Arsenal top from the year Chris was born and everyone signed it at the wake to put it in a frame for Harry.
“One of my mates, Simon Collins, has also done a memorial graffiti wall for him down the Hythe near Haddon Park.
“The kindness of people has been amazing and the whole thing has just been so full of love.”
"Chris would have loved the party and been blown away by the amount of love -I don't think he had any idea how much everyone loved him."
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