A tribute to Dad, By Sandra, Mark, Alice, Pete and Donna As read by Sandra at the funeral It is said that most people can speak for a minute without prior warning on a subject they love or are really interested in. Admittedly I have had a bit of warning but still I make no apologies for speaking for more than a minute about our Dad. Before he was our Dad, he was a son, brother, husband, brother in law, later in life he was a father in law, granddad and all through his life, a good friend to many. Dad loved learning new things, though he told us he’d never taken any tests/exams at school due to moving house so frequently when he was a child. He along with his parents and younger brother Fred moved 7 times in one year alone, at which point his mum refused to unpack and lived out of her suitcase for a while. Eventually the family settled in Maidstone. Dad’s many jobs had him travelling the length and breadth of the UK and as kids we loved to go away with him in his lorry, seeing signposts to such exotic destinations as Prudhoe and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. He was the man to go to for journey planning long before Google maps existed! He would write out directions for us for our trips going into great details about landmarks on many an “A” and “B” road whereas motorways could be summed up in just a few words. He loved to get out his trusty road map and help us get to where we needed to be! In the words of a fellow lorry driver “He was a star of the road” Dad was brought up in a time when men didn’t cry or show their emotions, although when all of the kids were together making a lot of noise, he had very immediate ways of letting us know how he felt. He was proud to be a strong, resourceful man and he and mum - in their different ways - needed all that strength and resourcefulness to provide us with a home and a happy childhood through some tough times... He had a strong handshake and a vice like grip even til the end. Many here will miss that strong grip on their hand or knee! He liked to give the impression that he was a bit grumpy but he was a kind, charming man, helping people without making a fuss. He showed great gentleness and kindness to his widowed mother in law, when she lived with him, Mum and Donna towards the end of her life and also to our neighbour, Mrs Gandesha and our aunt when they were widowed. He wasn’t always the most patient man, notably when going out for a day at the beach with a car full of kids, especially if one or more were car-sick or sunburned. He wasn’t a fan of having food or drink in the car, rather favouring stopping in a lay-by for a thermos flask of tea, made to his very exacting standard! He could be very critical about a poorly made cup of tea, to the extent of being struck almost speechless by the tea made with cold water and a microwave by a young lad in a mobile van on the Normandy beaches! Dad was a man who loved the simple things in life, being by the sea, eating fish and chips and of course drinking a decent cup of tea. He loved his old wooden rocking chair, and hearing Dad approaching would prompt anyone sitting in it to vacate or experience a hard stare! About 60% of photos of Dad from the 70’s feature him sitting in his rocking chair wearing a string vest. Dad was very good at keeping in touch with family and friends, using email and text to message, as well as his trusty landline for long phone calls. Dad was a proud grandad, he loved his 15 grandchildren and took a great interest in their lives and what they were up to. He had his grandchildren’s numbers on his mobile and they would get messages signed “G-dad” Music played a big part in Dad’s life, something he has passed on to his children and grandchildren. Dad moved with the times when it came to music - progressing from listening to vinyl, to eight tracks, cassettes, cd’s and eventually YouTube on his laptop. One constant though was the radio, from a transistor when he was a lad, listening to Radio Luxembourg, to Radio 2, and the news, comedies and Play for Today on Radio 4. Dad had a great love of language and had catchphrases and many a turn of phrase which baffled his grandchildren! He had nicknames for so many people amongst his family, friends and even people he just happened to meet - such as the doctor nicknamed “PS” because he always followed Dad out of the room with something else to say! Alice has always been known as Tiny, Peter the tech guy in the family is affectionately known as DotCom and most of us at some point have been referred to as Bungey or a “Bengal Lancer!” There are lots of people who had long term nicknames they knew nothing about. In more recent years Dad was able to spend more time at home with Mum. They would busily get on with different tasks, like planning and preparing meals, talking and joking together or sitting peacefully in the garden watching the birds in the bird bath or eating the bird food put out for them. A lovely picture of love over the long-haul, having gone through many ups and downs and seeing their relationship blossom like the garden they worked in. Some people struggle to see God as a loving Father for one reason or another. That’s not something I’ve ever had a problem with because my dad always showed me unconditional love, I never felt that I disappointed him and he was always ready with open arms to give me a big hug whenever I saw him. These were glimpses into the heart of God for me and I will always thank God for giving me such a wonderful Dad.