Penampang: Several hundred relatives, friends and ex-colleagues from the Daily Express paid their last respects to the late Lawrence Gerard Sinidol, 66, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church at Kobusak, here, Saturday. Lawrence, who was the son of former Kawang Assemblyman, the late Datuk Fred Sinidol, passed away on Thursday at his residence at Taman Stephens.
In his sermon, Rev Father Eric Jerome said death should not be taken too badly as there is life in death.
"Death is at the hands of God. Human beings have no power over death.
I have also experienced death in my family when God took my sister and then my father from us. My mother struggled to raise the family.
"Personally, I wish I could live up to 100 years or beyond but God can take me away anytime. We must be prepared for death.
"Let us not ask where our brother in Christ Lawrence would be taken.
With God's compassion, he will enter the Kingdom of God.
To be with God is the life after death," he said.
The priest called on the congregation to pray for Lawrence and his family who had to endure pain over their loss.
"Now is not the time to talk about one's weaknesses or limitations but rather the good things one has performed in life. Let us invoke God's merciful judgement on Lawrence's good deeds in life," he said.
His wife, Dale Redpath, daughter Liana Shari Sinidol and son-in-law Cesar Alarcon flew in from Australia for the funeral service.
Among those who were present were Lawrence's mother, Datin Mary Rose Sinidol Nee Lutter, Toh Puan Rahimah Stephens (Lawrence's maternal aunt), former Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Ariah Tengku Ahmad.
Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia, Datuk Pengiran Mohd Hussein Datuk Pengiran Hj Mohd Tahir Nasruddin (Lawrence's brother-in-law), Kepayan Assemblyman Dr Edwin Bosi, Penampang Umno Chief, Datuk John Ambrose, former Deputy State Secretary, Datuk Claudius Roman and Datuk Brother Charles O'Leary.
Lawrence, a journalist since the 1980s, joined the Daily Express in the mid-1990s as the Sports Editor until his retirement in 2010. He last visited the Daily Express Press Office in Tanjung Aru to meet up with ex-colleagues about two weeks ago.
Lawrence, an avid sports fan, represented the State in football, athletics and cricket in his younger days.
He was laid to rest at the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Mile 4 1/2, Penampang Road.
