Our Dad.
 
Well, what a character he was.  Born in November 1920 at Aldershot Barracks to an army father he was a man who experienced the 20’s and 30’s, a difficult time for our country just after the 1st World War – with poverty and depression. His father left the army and the family moved up to York.   With the 2nd World War looming there were many challenges coming, however, he always said he had a good life.  He enlisted in the RAF as a Wireless Operator in 1940 and served in the UK initially and then was posted to North Africa, coming back home via Italy stopping at Rome and managing to meet Pope Pius XII and tour St. Peter’s Basilica then onto France. 
 
It was during the war that he met our mother Christine when stationed up in the highlands and they fell in love.  He wrote some beautiful love poetry to her whilst away serving in the RAF some of which has been included in this order of service.
 
Demobbed in 1945/6 he joined the railways as an administrator, moved on to Kalamazoo in sales and finally joined Mars Confectioners UK rising through the ranks from sales representative to sitting on the Board of Directors.  When Marketing Manager he worked with the advertising agency Maceas and was responsible for creating the famous ‘A Mars a day helps you work rest and play.‘  So he was a talented and shrewd businessman. He met with many well-known characters on the public speaking circuit including Prince Charles, Muhammad Ali, Alan Whicker, Murray Walker, to name but a few!  He flew around the world on business 5 times and enjoyed several supersonic flights on Concord (the first being Bahrain to London 13th May 1976).
 
Dad was well educated, highly intelligent and well read – often quoting extracts from many of the distinguished writers he so admired.  He loved socialising, debate, conversation and of course the ladies!  He was a character, a rascal, with real room presence and a wicked sense of humour and remained so until the very end at over 100 years old. 
 
After the untimely death of our mother from cancer at 50 he went onto meet Pamela through Paul and Julie who later become his 2nd wife.  He always said he was such a lucky man to have had two wonderful and loving wives both of which he was happily married to for over 25 years.
 
His passion and love was his family and he was so pleased to have an extended family after his marriage to Pamela which included 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.  He loved it when we got together to celebrate family Christmas’s and Birthdays.
 
His other passion was golf which he did not take up until after 40.  He presumed he would be good at it as he had excelled at cricket but unfortunately this was not to be.  However he got so much pleasure from playing and socialising at Burnham Beeches where he was a member for over 50 years.  This also led him to purchasing after his retirement a villa in the Algarve Portugal where he and Pamela would stay 2 months spring and autumn playing golf socialising and where many members of the family have fond memories of holidays and visits.
 
There is a story from Paul who wanted to share with you what sums up the man when faced with a diagnosis from his doctor in later life of his dementia and on returning home spoke with Trisha “G” Paul’s partner and said “Trisha I have had some great news today, I only have the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s!  It could have been a lot worse you know; it could have been cancer!”.  He used his life experiences to great effect, when counselling the many family members who went to him with a problem, he was always supportive, non-judgemental, was your protector and always understanding and loving.  He was a wonderful and reliable mentor.  Our dad was strong, brave, fearless, and worldly wise – a fair and principled father who rarely lost his temper preferring to take a more calm and measured approach.   He was an admirable defender of your liberty to act and speak as your own person providing common sense and decency prevailed. 
 
Even in his final years after his dementia had deteriorated and had affected his vocabulary and communications, he was always the same loving father, whose face would light up with an enormous smile whenever I visited him.  He was happy at Sunrise and the staff took such good care of him treating him with love and respect.  They always said he was a true gentleman.
 
He will never be gone and will live on in our memories of him for years to come.  Sleep well dad and rest now in peace as the Almighty takes you gently in his arms to start your next adventure, you will always remain an inspiration to us which we would all do well to replicate and aspire to.  We are going to miss you Dad, you not being around and the sound of your voice.  Paul is so sorry he could not be here to see you off at the station and hope your journey to your next destination fares well.  We wave you off with all our love, a smile and a tear in our eye.
 
I will finish now with one of his more wicked jokes that Paul remembers and rings in his ears as he once told him with a grin on his face and I quote “I once gave up drinking, smoking and sex and it was the worst hour of my life!”.  Remember our Dad and our friend and leave here with a smile on your face and let’s celebrate his life – he certainly was a one off.  Thank you all for attending today to honour him.