Patti Newton was joined by her daughter Lauren, son-in-law Matt Welsh, and her six grandkids, Monty, Alby, Sam, Eva, Lola, and Perla, to say their final goodbyes to their beloved Bert at his state funeral.
WATCH BELOW: Lauren Newton’s letter at father Bert’s Funeral
The grief-stricken family were united as they arrived and sat through the service, and each paid their respects to Bert in their own separate ways.
During the ceremony, a touching speech penned by Lauren was read aloud to mourners, where she expressed how much her children loved their ‘poppy’.
“They loved poppy so much and his love for them was very clear to see. He spent hours playing games with them,” she said.
Their love for their grandfather was made evident on the day of the funeral, as one by one, the eldest of the bunch took turns to say a quick prayer:
“Heavenly Father, we commend poppy to your mercy and care, welcome him to heaven where there will be no more sorrow and pain but only peace and happiness, Lord hear us.
“Heavenly Father, we pray for nana and all our family and friends gathered here today. May we find comfort in poppy’s example of love and friendship. Lord hear us.
“Heavenly Father, we pray for poppy up in heaven. Lord hear us.”
In Lauren’s touching tribute, she spoke of how her kids bonded with their grandfather and said they “played everything from ‘mums and dads’ to ‘schools'”.
“His favourite games were ‘hospitals and hotels’ and mum and I wondered why it was always those two games he liked the best – and then we realised it was because all he had to do was lie on the bed and rest while the kids played around him,” she said.
“The kids also loved doing concerts for him, and he was their most captive audience. He even got the job of introducing them and I would laugh to myself, thinking they have no idea how lucky they were even put his good voice on as if he was doing the Logies.
“He loved it. And I could tell it was one of his favourite gigs ever.”
For more on the life and legacy of Aussie TV legend Bert Newton, see below:
- Everything to know about Bert Newton’s funeral
- Why Matthew Newton isn’t attending his father Bert’s funeral
- Australia’s golden couple: Looking back at Bert and Patti Newton’s relationship
- Bert Newton 1938-2021: “He gave us so much joy!”
- Australian TV royalty: A glimpse at Bert Newton’s career through the years
- Keeping up with the Newtons! Bert and Patti Newton’s best family photos
- Bert Newton’s pride and joy! Meet the TV legend’s six gorgeous grandkids
- Bert Newton celeb tributes
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