Too ashamed to confess debts
Mourners at the funeral of Shropshire family murderer Chris Foster heard how the businessman was too ashamed to tell his family of his debt.
Chris Foster" class="imageframe imgalignright" height="130" src="http://www.shropshirestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/30foster_chris.jpg" title="Chris Foster" width="175"/>Mourners at the funeral of Shropshire family murderer Chris Foster heard how the businessman was too ashamed to tell his family of his debt.
See also: Foster family funerals held
Foster's friends filled St John's Church in Maesbrook for his funeral at 2.30pm on Friday.
Just hours before, many of the same people had packed into the same church to say their final goodbyes to the wife he murdered, Jill, and the couple's 15-year-old daughter Kirstie.
The beloved mother and daughter's joint funeral attracted so many people that about 50 mourners were forced to listen to the service from outside - but far fewer people attended the funeral of their 50-year-old killer.
Foster's service saw just seven family members, including his mother Enid and brother Andrew, follow his coffin into church.
Mrs Foster's family, including sister Anne Giddings and brother Roger Doley, did not attend the funeral of their brother-in-law.
Foster's coffin had just three floral tributes on, while the hearse carrying the coffins of his wife and daughter - whom he murdered before turning their luxury Maesbrook home of Osbaston House into an inferno and killing himself - was packed with flowers.
Burial
Many mourners for Mrs Foster and Kirstie carried two single roses and clutched teddy bears but none of the mourners carried flowers into Mr Foster's service.
Teenage schoolchildren, many from Ellesmere College where Kirstie was a student, broke down and fell into each other's arms as they left the churchyard following their friend's burial.
The Venerable Tony Sadler, who led both services, told mourners at Foster's funeral: "Sadly, Christopher had not shared his recent financial difficulties with his family and could not bring himself to do so."
Mr Sadler said people had "tortured" themselves over the last four months by "imagining the last moments of the family's lives".
He told mourners: "Christopher was born in Burnley in Lancashire in 1958.
"His family came down to the Midlands when his father took up a post as a sales manager and they lived in Bridgnorth.
"Later they moved to Codsall where he and his brother Andrew attended Codsall High School.
"On leaving school he took up an apprenticeship with Newbolds industrial electrical engineers.
"And in 1987 he married Jill at St Nicholas' Church in Codsall.
"Kirstie was born in 1993. While Christopher worked for his City and Guilds Certificate at Wulfrun College he moved into sales in the same firm.
"Later he became the UK distribution manager for an American company and finally he set up business on his own.
"The family moved to Osbaston House four years ago where they have been very happy.
Memory
"They enjoyed good holidays and Christopher had hoped to share Kirstie's hobby of horse-riding - but that was curtailed after a couple of nasty falls.
"Because of Kirstie's love for riding the family are setting up a trust for riders with disability and any gifts in memory of the family will go to this trust.
"Sadly, Christopher had not shared his recent financial difficulties with his family and could not bring himself to do so.
"Faced with the tragedy before us, we have each used the few known facts, wretched though they be, and tortured ourselves by trying to imagine the last moments of the family's lives.
"Some people's imaginations are more vivid than others. We have each tried to put ourselves into the family's shoes. We've mythered ourselves to find explanations.
"Even if we get on with doing something else, our imagination will not let us rest. Our imaginations are in need of healing and I hope that this service will help do that.
"I am full of admiration for the courage of Christopher's mother, Enid, whose faith has upheld her in these difficult days. Her Christian faith shines through in the hymns that she has chosen for this service.
"She is grateful for the support of her local Prebendary Jill Groves, and the members of her church at Rushbury where Enid is the organist.
"She is grateful too, to Christopher's brother Andrew. We remember him, and his wife Pam and their three children, Fran, Katie and Pippa. We remember too, Jill's brother and sister Roger and Ann and their families in their grief.
"Our hearts are full of gratitude to members of the police and fire service and especially those whose duty it was to witness at first hand the unpleasant scenes at Osbaston House."
By Kirsty Smallman, Suzanne Roberts and Iain St John