Family and friends of a 56-year-old grandmother who died from cancer have attended a crematorium in fancy dress to celebrate her life with a Halloween-themed funeral.

Witches, Beetlejuice and the Tasmanian Devil were among about 100 people remembering Lorna Johnson at a service conducted by Darth Vader on Wednesday.

Johnson’s son, Neil, said the funeral at Luton crematorium reflected his mother’s love of Halloween and fun.

Witches and a man dressed as Beetlejuice (centre) attend the Halloween-themed funeral of Lorna Johnson at Luton crematorium. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA

He said: “My mum’s favourite time of year was Halloween. We always had parties, dressed up, decorated the house. The kids loved it, we loved it. It was something we always did.

“She classed herself as a white witch and was into the tarot readings and that sort of thing.

A picture of Lorna Johnson who loved Halloween and fun. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA

“We’ve added an extra little personal touch to the funeral, it’s helped a lot.”

Neil Johnson, 34, said music at the service included Dolly Parton’s I’m Gonna Miss You, some indie rock and a trance song to end the funeral.

“The trance song is almost like rave music, far-out dance-type music,” he said. “I suppose for a 56-year-old lady to be into that is a little strange.”

Later the mourners went on for a party.

He said: “My mum’s always said you need to celebrate, you need to have a party. So we’re not going to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. My mum wouldn’t want that.”

Johnson, who has three sons aged nine, eight and six, said his mother would have loved the idea of a fancy-dress funeral.

“She’d love it. She’d say: ‘That’s it, that’s exactly what you should have done,’” he said.

“She would have been well up for it, it’s the type of person she was. She always wanted a party.”

Johnson dressed as the Tasmanian Devil for the funeral. His sisters wore witches’ hats and a friend dressed up as the film character Beetlejuice.

Co-op Funeralcare funeral director, Brett Houghton, led the service dressed as Star Wars’ Darth Vader.

Johnson died from lung cancer in June after being diagnosed in October last year. Her husband died in November.

They had four children – two sons and two daughters – and 10 grandchildren.

Her son said: “We’ve had a good life as a family. Our mum and dad were something else. We’re proud to be who we are and to be their children.”