Sparkling Julia Littler was such a gem in life that her family bought a jewel-encrusted coffin for her funeral.
Julia’s favourite things were bling, shopping, partying – and Christmas.
And by coincidence it was Christmas Day last year when she died aged 71.
Nearly a year later her daughter told how relatives gave her the brightest send-off they could in a sparkling £2,000 casket to celebrate her fun-filled life.
“Mum absolutely loved Christmas, she loved the glitz and the lights and the glamour of the parties,” says daughter Jules Marshall, 46.
“And she loved shopping. It was her main passion in life.
“She loved her Jimmy Choo shoes and she was bling-tastic. She was known as Mrs Sparkle.
“Mum and I were best pals. She and I would hit the town and she was always on the karaoke.
“We went on two cruises every year. We were like a real-life version of Ab Fab. She adored her designer labels and her bling so she would start shopping in January and shop all year round for Christmas presents.”
Julia, of Pen-y-ffordd, North Wales, lost both her husband Tommy, 62 and son Carl, 46, to heart attacks.
But she never lost her energy and sense of fun – even when doctors diagnosed her with bowel cancer in March last year. Julia began chemo but developed sepsis and pneumonia.
Her daughter, from nearby Buckley, says: “Mum was amazingly upbeat. I dyed her hair different colours while she was in the hospital – pink and violet.
“Each morning, no matter how ill she felt, she made sure I tonged her hair and put her eyelashes on. She had major surgery and when I went to see her in ICU she said, ‘Can you bring my curling tongs?’ That was her main concern.
“Some of the nurses dyed their hair pink to match hers. Even when she died, she had pink hair.”
With Christmas approaching, hospital staff warned that Julia might not make it to December 25.
Jules says: “The nurses knew how much mum loved Christmas and so they told us to bring it forward. But I couldn’t do it because I didn’t want mum to know she was dying.
“I just prayed she might hang on. All through December she was doing her shopping on her iPad. She was so excited.” On Christmas Eve, staff at Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral, agreed to let Julia spend the 25th with her daughter Jules and son Wayne – just like they used to every year.
Jools says: “We were so excited about it. Mum was very weak and we knew she was dying but I was determined to get her home for Christmas. We just couldn’t let her down.
“On Christmas Day we had a strict family rule that everyone had to be at my house by 6.30am on Christmas morning – even when we were all grown up. We’d wear our best designer outfits and really make the most of Christmas.”
Staff arranged for a hospital bed to be installed in Jules’s living room.
“She had planned a Christmas outfit with high heels but she was too poorly to get dressed,” says Jules.
“Even though she was dying, she put her lashes on. I was so choked but so proud as well. She died at home at lunchtime on Christmas Day.
"I like to think she spent Christmas morning with me and my brother Wayne, and Christmas afternoon with my dad and my brother, in heaven.
“That way she could share her favourite day with us all.
“It broke my heart to let her go. But I could see the love shining out from her and that will never leave me.”
The family commissioned the special coffin for Julia’s funeral at the local crematorium – and Jules says her mother would have been thrilled.
“I found a company that makes coffins to order,” she explains.
“I told them what I wanted, they did the rest.”
A spokesman for the Glitter Coffin Company said: “Our stunning coffins are a beautiful way to reflect and celebrate a person’s life.
“Mrs Littler’s family wanted something unique to her and we were happy to help.”
Her daughter adds: “Christmas this year will be tough but I know mum will be with me.”
