DNA Memorial Service
Created | Updated Jan 2, 2003
In May 2001, Douglas Noël Adams died suddenly of a heart attack whilst at a gym in Los Angeles. A tragic event felt most painfully by his friends, family and loved ones.
Who am I? I am a fan. The first book that I ever read was “The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy”. Through his books, he opened up a new world for me. One filled with interesting people, wonderful worlds, science, technology and marvellous flights of fantasy. It felt as if Douglas was talking directly to me.
With his boundless humour, stunning linguistic acrobatics and irreverence for those who take themselves to seriously he gave me the ability to look at life in a new way. To see the ridiculous in all sorts of situations, I find I only need to ask myself what would any of his characters do? It appears that a common trait for a lot of people I know is the capacity to quote whole passages of “The Guide” at the drop of a hat.
On 17th September 2001, I attended the memorial service for Douglas Adams. The service was held at St. Martins-in-the-Fields, London. The service started at 4.30pm, having left later than expected from Cambridge, I only just managed to get to the church with about a minute to spare.
The church itself is set back from the road at one corner of Trafalgar Square. From the pavement a great three sided stair way leads up black painted iron railings. On this landing, and behind the railings are a number of tall fluted columns that give the appearance of guarding the three entrances to the church itself. The high, main doors to the church are of old, dark oak and give the impression that all the troubles of those who enter are left at the thresh-hold.
There is a short oak panelled hallway leading to an inner pair of doors. Once inside the church proper the large stained glass windows above the alter light the interior as the light streams through and down onto the pews ranged in front. I was shown to a pew to the right and rear of the cavernous interior of the church.
Sat there at the back, I was struck by the deep sense of love and fun that emanated from the congregation assembled within. Love for a man who had touched so many diverse lives and brought so much joy and fun to all those who knew him and gave so much of himself.
I was honoured to be part of the service, in the presence of so many of people who remembered him as friend, son, father or husband. I shall always remember the real joy that could be heard in the voices of those who spoke of their memories of Douglas Adams. The underlying, deep sadness of his untimely passing gave their words a profound significance.
Whilst Douglas Adams may not have been the most prolific of writers, in the context of volumes published, he had the ability to blend razor sharp wit, science fiction and a deep understanding of human nature in a fashion that has given him a meaningful form of immortality. His books will be read and re-read for decades to come as each new generation discover those joyous characters who’s lives are writ large in the very inaccurately names Hitch-Hiker’s Trilogy.
The good, great and humorous gathered with Douglas’s family to say fair well to a dear friend. To paraphrase one of the speakers that day, “there is a big Douglas shaped hole in our lives.”
I wish I had found the Douglas Adams web site before he passed away, perhaps I might have had the opportunity to speak to him if I had. Even at the memorial service in his honour there were things to remember and cherish that were wonderfully silly. Perhaps the image of the entire congregation laughing and applauding the sight of an extremely well spoken and funny gentleman recounting the story of Veet Voojagig and the biros whilst wearing a red check dressing gown. Maybe the Blessing will be the thing I remember the most. The Reverend Antony Hurst reading a passage from the Bible recounting the words of Jesus on death followed by the enlightening thoughts of Ford Prefect on the same subject.
Who am I? I am a fan. The first book that I ever read was “The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy”. Through his books, he opened up a new world for me. One filled with interesting people, wonderful worlds, science, technology and marvellous flights of fantasy. It felt as if Douglas was talking directly to me.
With his boundless humour, stunning linguistic acrobatics and irreverence for those who take themselves to seriously he gave me the ability to look at life in a new way. To see the ridiculous in all sorts of situations, I find I only need to ask myself what would any of his characters do? It appears that a common trait for a lot of people I know is the capacity to quote whole passages of “The Guide” at the drop of a hat.
On 17th September 2001, I attended the memorial service for Douglas Adams. The service was held at St. Martins-in-the-Fields, London. The service started at 4.30pm, having left later than expected from Cambridge, I only just managed to get to the church with about a minute to spare.
The church itself is set back from the road at one corner of Trafalgar Square. From the pavement a great three sided stair way leads up black painted iron railings. On this landing, and behind the railings are a number of tall fluted columns that give the appearance of guarding the three entrances to the church itself. The high, main doors to the church are of old, dark oak and give the impression that all the troubles of those who enter are left at the thresh-hold.
There is a short oak panelled hallway leading to an inner pair of doors. Once inside the church proper the large stained glass windows above the alter light the interior as the light streams through and down onto the pews ranged in front. I was shown to a pew to the right and rear of the cavernous interior of the church.
Sat there at the back, I was struck by the deep sense of love and fun that emanated from the congregation assembled within. Love for a man who had touched so many diverse lives and brought so much joy and fun to all those who knew him and gave so much of himself.
I was honoured to be part of the service, in the presence of so many of people who remembered him as friend, son, father or husband. I shall always remember the real joy that could be heard in the voices of those who spoke of their memories of Douglas Adams. The underlying, deep sadness of his untimely passing gave their words a profound significance.
Whilst Douglas Adams may not have been the most prolific of writers, in the context of volumes published, he had the ability to blend razor sharp wit, science fiction and a deep understanding of human nature in a fashion that has given him a meaningful form of immortality. His books will be read and re-read for decades to come as each new generation discover those joyous characters who’s lives are writ large in the very inaccurately names Hitch-Hiker’s Trilogy.
The good, great and humorous gathered with Douglas’s family to say fair well to a dear friend. To paraphrase one of the speakers that day, “there is a big Douglas shaped hole in our lives.”
I wish I had found the Douglas Adams web site before he passed away, perhaps I might have had the opportunity to speak to him if I had. Even at the memorial service in his honour there were things to remember and cherish that were wonderfully silly. Perhaps the image of the entire congregation laughing and applauding the sight of an extremely well spoken and funny gentleman recounting the story of Veet Voojagig and the biros whilst wearing a red check dressing gown. Maybe the Blessing will be the thing I remember the most. The Reverend Antony Hurst reading a passage from the Bible recounting the words of Jesus on death followed by the enlightening thoughts of Ford Prefect on the same subject.
