Christian headteacher buried in coffin covered in drawings by her pupils

Sue East died at a hospice aged 58 on 19th December last year following a short battle with cancer.

On the day she died, she wrote to students at St Andrew’s Church School in Bath to tell them “she was ‘going to die soon’ and to thank them for their “joy and friendship”.

Quoting a passage from C.S. Lewis’ 1952 novel, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the mother-of-three wrote: “Never forget there is fairy dust to be found in every situation, no matter how difficult.”

Almost 700 pupils, parents, ex-pupils and staff members attended her funeral at Bath Abbey on Thursday.

Mrs East’s coffin was adorned with drawings of fairies, butterflies, love hearts, rainbows and ‘fairy dust’.

Her three children, John, Susannah and Josiah East, all read tributes to their mother, alongside readings from staff members and close friends.

Her daughter Susannah highlighted how her mother’s faith that enabled her to not fear death.

“She said that death is not to be feared, for it is only coming home,” Susannah said.

“She said how even in the most difficult situations, you find fairy dust.”

The diocese of Bath and Wells has also paid tribute to Mrs East.

David Williams, School Effectiveness Advisor at the diocese, who worked closely with Sue and the team at St Andrew’s, said in a statement: “We were…