Fossetts Circus and Eurovision star Marion Fossett remembered as 'larger than life' at her funeral
Circus and Eurovision star Marion Fossett was remembered as "larger than life' at her funeral on Tuesday. The beloved performer, who was the iconic ringmistress behind the renowned Fossetts Circus, died in hospital in Dublin on Friday and was laid to rest on Tuesday afternoon. In a sermon read at her funeral, she was remembered as someone who was "loved by everybody", reports RSVP Live. "What do you say about somebody who is larger than life?" Father O'Brien said. "Who is well known by everybody, and loved by everybody? "Since Saturday, I've been trying to figure out what I would say about Marion. How do I do justice to a woman like that? The answer is I can't. Whatever I will say here today will never do justice to the woman she was." He recalled how he met Marion, as he was called to come and bless the circus. After meeting, the pair chatted for hours over tea and coffee. "From then on, I went up and I blessed the circus a couple of times at the beginning and end of the season," he said. "You could see the love that was there, you could see the love that they had for each other as a family, as a group, and that's something that is actually hard to find." He went on to say: "When you look at Marion, she has done more in the world than I think I would ever do in 10 years. She was what you might call the consummate professional." Father O'Brien continued to say that she was loved by everyone around her and that she knew that, especially while she was in hospital before her passing. "She was surrounded by love," he said. "She was surrounded by people who loved her. She was surrounded by the knowledge that everyone wanted the best for her. That love is something that you can't take away. "The love that we have here doesn't go away, the love that we have here is carried on." Sonya Fossett, Marion's niece, gave an emotional eulogy. "She liked to make it known how busy she was and how much she did for the show," said Sonya. "Backing up her point, we're lost without her. "Marion took on a mothering role early in life, while she would mind her brothers and sisters while they were still in school while the show was on tour. She didn't have any children of her own, but she was a mother to all of us. Once you were old enough, you were spoiled rotten. "She gave us comfort, confidence and courage to step into the spotlight. We'll miss the sound of her voice and looking back at her smile when leaving the ring." She continued: "Marion Fossett was a strong woman. Things didn't happen to Marion, she made them happen. Nothing shows that more than how she handled her illness over the last few years, and in particular the last few weeks. "She has taken her final bow, the lights have dimmed, and heaven has gained a diva." A number of moving pieces of music were played during the service, including You Raise Me Up and The Prayer. On Saturday, the Fossetts family released a statement across social media breaking the news of her passing, describing Marion as "a shining star". "It's with great sadness, we the Fossett family would like to share the news of the passing of our beloved Marion Fossett," they said. "She was a shining star in our lives and we are heartbroken by her loss." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
