IT was one of the biggest funerals Southampton had ever seen.

Sikhs from across the UK and even overseas turned out in their droves for the funeral of Jeet Kaur yesterday, to pay tribute to a “pillar of the community”.

More than 600 people attended the emotional ceremony at the Gurdwara Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib in Nichols Road, Southampton, followed by a service at Southampton Crematorium.

Some travelled from as far afield as India and the US to pay their last respects to Mrs Kaur, who died on Monday, aged 78.

She had been suffering from lymphoma and pneumonia.

Mrs Kaur, who moved to the UK in the 1960s, leaves four sons, seven daughters and 148 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Members of her immediate family wore T-shirts bearing her picture alongside the word “Bhabi”, meaning mother and grandmother.

A convoy of more than ten limousines and six buses was required to transport the crowd from the Gurdwara to the city’s crematorium where family members read their own personal tributes.

Sukhdev Singh, one of Mrs Kaur’s grandsons, said: “She was a real role model and a pioneer in getting more women involved in the Sikh community here.

“She would leave her front door open all the time and people could just pop in and say hello or go to her with any problems they had.

Unique “That’s pretty unique in this day and age and so many people here will miss that.”

Malkeat Singh, member of the management committee at the Gurdwara Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, added: “Mrs Kaur was a pillar of the community and a tower of strength for everyone.

“Her funeral brought together hundreds and hundreds of people, from all over the country and afar, people from all different faiths, walks of life and all generations to celebrate her life and to say their last farewells.

“For me it just simply showed how popular and loved this lady was by everyone.

“She was so well respected and will be sadly missed.”