Dad was close to celebrating his 80th birthday. In those 80 years he fathered 4 children and had several grandchildren, he never got to meet his only Great Granddaughter but I know he will be watching over her.

He spent 23 years in the REME travelling the world before meeting my mother. He loved the fact he married an Irish Woman as it meant he could spend many a summer holiday getting in some fishing time across the Green Isle.

He supported Southampton football club during his early years but soon converted to Liverpool football club. He liked his westerns and enjoyed county music including Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Garth Brooks. He loved his holidays by the sea and some of the inspirational landscapes he got to enjoy spurred him on to take up art lessons in his later years.

He would come across as grumpy but had a wicked sense of humour and sometimes was compared to Arkwright from open all hours.