06.09.2011


Thanks

Thanks for making the journey here, it is lovely to see people although sadly unfortunate too.

Also I on behalf of mum and the rest of the family would like to thank the Rector and the church...initially it was a surprise that dad had requested a burial in a church and here in Newton......  and so Anna and I came exploring ..... the day after dad died.... to actually try to find out more about dad’s request. As soon as we saw the church we felt it was ‘right’ and totally understood why dad had spoken of being buried here.

Dad and God

moving  on to the knotty question of dad and christian beliefs...  This too was a little bit of a surprise, I wondered how much of a Pascals wager it was maybe but thinking about conversations with dad we also came to realise that how sincere in his belief he had become and maybe had been in his past too... before his marriage he played in church bands... perhaps it wasn’t just about the music??

Childhood

I want to say thanks to dad (and of course to mum here too!)  for an ideal childhood It was the best, we had such a lovely foundation and that was thanks to the team that was Mum AND dad  as it is difficult to split the responsibility and so once again it is time to say thanks to both of them.... we were encouraged to be independent, adventurous and questioning .... maybe dad didn’t like my questioning of authority when i was challenging his but he really was an excellent role model in this.... perhaps to an 11 yr old it was slightly embarrassing to have a dad drive up in a moskvitch ( a russian car) wearing a little astrakhan hat but that was dad and he was an individual! always an individual.... and what 11 yr old is not embarrassed by a parent so you might as well have one that has strong political convictions who stands up for what he believes in!

Granchildren

photographs.. dad carried a little selection of photographs with him at all times and I looked at this last week... he has managed to get some gorgeous photographs there.. you know the ones where everyone is smiling and looking their best.. those rare ones! and he showed these photographs with almost embarassing regularity to so many people! He was proud of his family and I know his grandchildren will hold very affectionate memories of him ..... I know josh and jake had some excellent conversations late into the night with him that they will treasure.... jaidon and Megan sadly missed this late night side to dad but i know they will also hold affectionate memories of his constant tea drinking and various little pecadilloes! his grandchildren were able to appreciate his sense of humour too!

Music

I must also mention his love of music as it wasn’t just the politics! .... and this too has been our inheritence.... Martin, Anna and myself  have inherited this love although once again we have done this in our own very individual ways... and this is the key... and maybe the most important ....... Dad was pretty unique and if we inherit anything then being able to stand up for ourselves, not take any nonsense, and  say what we think would be fairly useful!

and so to speak of his passing.... it was as if he chose his time, he had become tired.. his body, which he had always remarked on for its strength and power, had become tired... he was ready.... and his death was thankfully peaceful …. he had reached that acceptance....

Throughout this what i have wanted to emphasise was dad’s uniqueness and individuality.. to us he was and always will be a little bit of a legend!

Goodbye dad