THE funeral of mum-of-four Samantha Henderson is to be held next week in Poole.
The disappearance and death of the 25-year-old from Corfe Castle sent shock waves through the community.
She was last seen collecting her children from the village primary school on Wednesday, January 21.
After an extensive police search her body was found nine days later in the lake near Ham Common in Hamworthy.
Her partner Dominic Isom, 27, was charged with her murder and has pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Samantha’s funeral takes place at Poole Crematorium on June 10 at 3pm, and her family have invited the wider community to join them to celebrate her life.
All those wishing to pay their respects are invited to wear pink – Sam’s favourite colour.
Her mum Janelle Henderson told the Echo: “That was her wish. She always said to me she wasn’t going to live to an old age and she wanted people to wear pink to her funeral. I always told her she wasn’t going to go before me – but she was right.”
Sam, who never got to attend her school prom, will be dressed in her cerise gown, wearing a tiara and pink shoes, with crystals and petals in the coffin.
At her wake there will be balloons and flowers, and glasses of Prosecco handed out to guests.
“We want to give her three in one,” added Janelle. “To celebrate her life, her prom and a wedding reception. Because she was so young there was so much she didn’t get to do.”
Her two young daughters aged five and seven, who have both had their birthdays since their mother’s death, will attend with their grandmother, while the younger boys, aged one and two, will not be present.
Samantha’s friend Hannah Wootton, who has created a trust in Sam’s memory to fundraise for her children, said donations to SAM, Stand And Matter, will be welcomed on the day. They have already raised just under £10,000. The money will be held in trust for the children until they turn 18.
She added: “We want it to be as happy an occasion as possible to celebrate Sam and give her the send off she deserves.”
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