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No-one has had a better life than me!


Singer Bernie Nolan was laid to rest in a touching funeral that she intricately planned before she died. Hundreds of mourners gathered at the Blackpool theatre where the actress made her name to say their final goodbye. Farewell Magazine reports.


T


he final curtain came down on the life of pop singer and actress Bernie Nolan at a funeral service fittingly held at Blackpool’s Grand


Theatre - where she had once led her sisters in a performance for the Queen. The former lead singer of The Nolans died aged just 52, after a three-year battle against breast cancer. She was first diagnosed in 2010 and had chemotherapy and a mastectomy, receiving the all-clear in 2012. But just months later the disease returned and spread to her brain, bones, lungs and liver. Declared ‘a celebration of her life’, the funeral


service was pre-planned by Bernie and was followed by a private cremation. Her ashes were buried alongside the remains of her stillborn daughter, Kate, at Carleton Crematorium on the outskirts of the resort. Bernie’s drummer husband, Steve Doneathy, and daughter Erin, 14, led the 400 mourners inside the theatre. Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets outside and listened to the service, which was broadcast via loudspeakers.


10 Farewell Magazine Brother Brian performed the opening


address and sister Maureen read a letter written by Bernie before she died. In it Bernie told mourners: “I think I’m worth a little crying but not too much. No-one has had a better life than me.” The song How Could I Ever Know, sung by


Bernie, was played to the congregation, who then watched a slideshow of pictures of her life. Among the guests from the world of


showbiz were EastEnders star Shane Richie, singer Joe Longthorne and comic duo Cannon and Ball. Bernie shot to stardom with her singing


sisters The Nolans in the Seventies. The group, best known for 1979 hit I’m In The Mood For Dancing, sold millions of records around the world and enjoyed success with songs such as Don’t Make Waves, Attention To Me and Gotta Pull Myself Together. They became huge in Japan, where they are said to have sold more records than the Beatles, and also supported Frank Sinatra. She quit the group in 1994 and made a name as an actress appearing in Brookside and The


Bill. She also took part in Channel 4 series The Games and ITV’s Popstar To Operastar, coming second to Darius Danesh. On stage, she performed in Blood Brothers,


Flashdance the Musical and the UK tour of Chicago The Musical in 2012, as well as a touring production of Calendar Girls. Her funeral service ended with a recording of the star singing Run to You and Better Place - dedicated to stillborn Kate. The order of service contained a picture of


Venice, a place Bernie visited as part of a bucket- list of wishes to be accomplished when the cancer she thought she had beaten returned in a far more virulent form. It was also adorned with a picture of a


happy and smiling Bernie with Steve and Erin, reading: “My two heroes. I love you both more than life itself.” Shortly after Bernie’s death, Coleen Nolan


shared her sister’s final moments with the Sunday Mirror. “There was always someone hugging, kissing or holding her hand so she never felt alone,” said Coleen.


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