27th July 2021

On behalf of the family, I would like to begin by thanking everyone that is here today, those joining remotely and those that have sent their condolences. We have received countless messages, calls and emails which have been comforting during these difficult times. I am so pleased that you are here to join in this Celebration of Dad’s life.

My Father had a rich and colourful life. He simply loved being on this spinning planet of ours. So, let me remind you of some of the things he loved:

• Love of his family and friends; his kids, grandchildren, sisters and brothers, his beloved friends.

• Love of travel; Dad travelled the world, visiting Australia, Fiji, America, to name but a few places.

• Love of art, literature & poetry. He particularly loved the painter Vincent Van Gogh.

• Love of music; Dad had an extensive music collection and always moved with the times, listening to both new and old music as well as live music, especially when his grandson Matthew was playing.

• Love of real ale, wine and a real passion for food. If you gave my Dad a good meal and a glass of wine, he was the happiest man on the planet!!

• Love of sport; rugby, tennis, snooker and football. He loved going to watch Everton play with my bother and also to watch Man United with Charles his “second team” as he would say!

• Love of a good party, especially if it involved fancy dress or a BBQ! Although he was often known to ‘peak’ too early and end up being found hours later by a search party, asleep behind a sofa, snoring away.

• Love of the £3 quid club; Scottie, Andrew, John and Fiona and the rest of the crew. He loved their trips away; Budapest, the canal boating trips, Cheltenham literature festival, and just being around his cherished friends.

• Love of “Gin o’clock” time with his neighbours from Lymm, Pat and Maureen (his bezzies)

• Love of his gardening job for John & Nicky and the hens he looked after.

• Loved working at Zipyard for his dear friend Jackie.

• Dad simply loved life.

Dads love of life was ever-present and you could often hear him shout, “life’s good.” He never let his age stop him from doing things. Be it, hurtling himself down water slides, wild river swimming with his pal Teressa, quad biking in Dubai with his mate Stuart, nothing seemed to stop him! Much to the concerns of us kids.

Dad had a wide range of Hobbies throughout his life, from his HiFi equipment, photography with all his filters and lenses, learning Spanish (which he was proficient at), his banjo/guitar playing (with his early renditions of “you are my sunshine” permanently etched in my mind). He even recently enrolled on a writing course. Always seeking to improve himself and gain new skills.

Dad experienced challenges in his life but he could quickly turn his fortunes round, reinvent himself with a new career and his creative money-making schemes. I often think he drew inner strength to get through life’s challenges from his idols, Muhammad Ali, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe and Billy Connelly.

Dad was one of life’s great characters! His infectious smile and booming voice were rarely forgot by those that met him. As my brother noted, “we always knew when Dad was about”! We will all certainly remember Dad’s pet names for things and nicknames for people; bacon banjos, calling my mum ‘Nick’ instead of Carol, he called me Nat, my best mate Andre was my brother from another mother...the list goes on.

Having had access to his phone and to check everyone was notified of his passing, I was amazed at how many contacts he had in his address books. Probably over 300 entries, mostly his friends, with a high percentage being female, but also an impressive collection of pubs, restaurants, and takeaways! I fear, the country may suffer a slightly economic downturn due to the lack of Dad’s input!

I would like to tell you a personal story of when my Dad came to visit me in Thame, not long after I had moved there. We went to a great real ale pub, my Dad sat there with his handled pint glass, listening intently, giving wise advice, but most of all we laughed and joked. After 3 or 4 pints we then went across to the park where a live music festival was taking place. Within minutes Dad was chatting to some of the stall owners that scattered the edge of the park, buying a new hat (he loved hats) and when I came back from the beer tent, he was hugging the African food stall lady as he ordered goat curry with peas & rice! After several more beers and some bad Dad dancing, we staggered home. Now, I had just moved into a new apartment, the path leading up to the main entrance lined either side with perfectly pruned and square rosemary bushes. Somehow my Dad managed to trip on the world’s smallest step and proceed to plough through the rosemary Bush like a prop forward! With my new neighbours faces starting to appear in the windows, I tried to get Dad out, although much to my embarrassment, he was now shouting, “I am so pissed, just leave me here to sleep". Eventually I managed to extract him and get him to bed. Despite his efforts the next morning to zhuzh it up, to this day there is a ‘Bill' shaped hole in the bush, which makes me smile every time I pass it!

As kids we had some great times with Dad growing up. Lazy summer days round the pool at John & Polly Woods and the infamous pantomimes, BBQ's at either ours or Ray & Annie’s house, trips to Southport to see John & Margaret listening to the latest ABBA album on the way. Meals and singing with our Leatherbarrow family. Visiting our numerous cousins from the Billing family...... so many wonderful memories.

So may I ask you to please think of your own happy memory of my wonderful Father, as we listen to one of his favourite artists, Paul McCartney.