Hundreds of mourners gathered on Friday to say a final farewell to Sarah Keeling and her daughter Grace, as their joint funeral service took place following the tragic events off the coast at Withernsea last month.
The funeral cortege was met by crowds lining the route, including pupils and staff from Grace’s school, Quarrydale Academy, who paused for a moment of silence and released pink balloons in her memory.
The service itself was held at Mansfield and District Crematorium, where mourners queued in the rain to attend. Both chapels were filled to standing room only, with many more gathering outside to pay their respects.
Members of the emergency services, including volunteers from Withernsea RNLI, HM Coastguard and other blue light services, formed a guard of honour as the cortege arrived, reflecting the close connection between the tragedy and those who responded in the days that followed.
Grace, 15, was swept into the sea near the Pier Towers on Friday, January 2. Her mother Sarah, 45, and 67-year-old Withernsea man Mark Ratcliffe died after entering the water in an attempt to help her.
The body of Grace was found about two weeks later, about a mile down from the Pier Towers among the rock armour near the Golden Sands holiday park.
The tragedy deeply affected communities in both Withernsea and Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Opening the service, celebrant Drew Baxter spoke of a gathering marked by both grief and love.
“We meet of course to share our sadness at this tragic loss,” he said, “but also to ensure that their lives will be recalled not for the way in which they ended, but for the way in which they were lived, in a very real and beautiful way.”
He acknowledged the scale of the loss felt not only by family and friends, but by the wider community, thanking those who had lined the cortege route and those who had waited patiently in the rain to attend.
“You might not know how much this means to the family,” he said. “That they don’t carry this burden alone.”
Throughout the service, tributes painted a picture of a close, loving bond between mother and daughter, and of two people whose warmth and energy left a lasting impression on those around them.
Speaking on behalf of Quarrydale Academy, a senior teacher described Grace as “a remarkable young person and a credit to her family”.
“Her teachers spoke about her kindness, her positivity, and the way she always thought about others before herself,” he said. “She brought warmth into every classroom she was in. Her smile could light up a room.”
Grace was described as someone who made others feel noticed and valued, whether through school life, her involvement in activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, or her work with the Brownies, where she enjoyed helping younger children.
“She had that rare gift of making everyone feel that they mattered,” the speaker said. “She didn’t just show up to life – she hosted it.”
Tributes also spoke of Sarah’s energy, humour and love of adventure, from running and fitness challenges to her ability to bring laughter into difficult moments.
“She didn’t just like adventure – she chased it,” one tribute said. “Brave, determined, extraordinary. But more than that, she was the one whose laughter spread quickly and lifted everyone around her.”
Friends spoke of shared holidays, celebrations and everyday moments, describing Sarah as spontaneous, loyal and deeply devoted to her family, with Grace often at the centre of everything she did.
The service also acknowledged the family members left behind, particularly Grace’s father Jon, whose strength and dignity were recognised repeatedly throughout the ceremony.
The service also paid tribute to Mark Ratcliffe, whose actions on the day of the incident were described as a selfless sacrifice.
The celebrant told mourners that what Mark did should “never be forgotten by anyone who loved Grace and Sarah”, acknowledging the courage of a man who entered the sea in an effort to save others.
Thoughts were extended to Mark’s family, alongside words of gratitude to the emergency services and rescue organisations who responded.
“Bless you for the dogged and determined professionalism,” Mr Baxter said, thanking the Coastguard, RNLI and all emergency responders who came together as a team. “Thank you for your service, your bravery and for never giving up.”
As the service drew to a close, mourners were asked to remember Sarah and Grace as they were at their best, and to carry forward the love, kindness and joy they brought into the lives of others.
“Say their names loudly and proudly,” the celebrant said. “Tell the stories. Celebrate the bond that survives.”
The final words reflected the theme that ran throughout the service – not only loss, but love that endures.
“Mother and daughter, united in love forever,” he said. “May they rest in peace.”