Eulogy for David We are here to remember David – a dear husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend. I am Nick, the middle of David’s three children. As we prepared this eulogy my siblings Paul and Louise, and I were reminded of how much Dad enjoyed getting up and making speeches – sometimes it must be said to our embarrassment. Davids life began in July 1938, in North West London, the eldest of 4 boys. His formative years were of course during the war. One event from this time we only found out about when he visited his granddaughter’s primary school as they were studying the period. The class were apparently spellbound as he recalled how he as a young boy with his mother and younger brother Ralph were on a visit to the cinema to watch the latest Pathe news reel, when both boys shouted out Daddy! The news reel was reporting from the campaign in the desert of North Africa, where Lo and behold, sat on a tank was their father. The cinema manager gave them free access to the cinema for the rest of the week. At the age of 15 due to his father’s ill health he had to leave school and joined the Merchant Navy. This may have been the spark that ignited a life long passion for water and travel, when he soon found himself aboard ship bound for South America and Argentina. After leaving the Merchant Navy David became one of the last cohort of young men in Britain to be drafted for National Service. He was very proud to have served in the Army. As a young man, he belonged to the young Conservatives. This was how, in his early twenties, he met his first wife, our mother, Ann. This is also the point in his life where he found his faith and converted to Catholicism. Dad and Mum married and by the time David was 30 they had three children: two boys and a girl. Family was important to him and in the early years we lived in Middlesex, though we soon moved to the south coast to a small seaside town called Seaford in Sussex. One assumes to be near water! Water and travel would continue to play a large part in David’s life. Whilst we were growing up on the south coast we had several small boats in which we would spend days out at sea fishing out. Idyllic as it sounds, one day we had anchored, and were unaware we were in the shipping lane of the Newhaven ferry. I recall the panic as we suddenly saw the ferry bearing down on us. As Dad struggled to start the engine the ferry continued on its course with its horn getting louder and louder. We all sighed with relief as the engine kicked in and we sped to safety. Sadly, in his mid-forties David became a widower. Though as fate would have it there was light and joy around the corner. David was lucky enough not to have just one love in his life; David met Fran and they were married at the London Oratory in Knightsbridge. Fran also had two sons, so David now had a family of five. David had found happiness and companionship that would last the rest of his life. As happens with children, they grow up and have families of their own. David was very proud to be the Grandfather of 10 grandchildren. Fran and David moved to Hampton Court in the early 90s where, being by the Thames naturally they bought a small boat. Soon the boat would become bigger and bigger. They joined and became very active members of the Hampton Court Motor Yacht club, where David was honoured to be commodore of the club and he very much enjoyed his time in this role. The theme of water continues as both David and Fran enjoyed going on many cruising holidays. Dad would also get to travel with Fran as she travelled on overseas conferences for Cystic Fibrosis. They got to see a vast amount of the world cruising and travelling together. All of you who knew David, knew he liked to look the part and was always smartly dressed whether in bright civvies or a crisp uniform. As we grew up in Seaford, for many years he was a cub and scout master who took pride in wearing his scout uniform. His interest in boats and boating meant he completed his skippers course and David took great pleasure in wearing his skipper’s cap. Later, he spent several of his retirement years as a toast master, magnificent in his red coated apparel. We never asked if he was ever concerned about looking better than the bride. After retiring, both David and Fran took great enjoyment in being volunteers at Hampton Court Palace; and of course he got to wear a red sash with the Hampton Court coat of arms on it. Throughout David’s life politics was another of his passions. He was a staunch conservative and, in his early adulthood was elected a local councillor. During his time on the council, he had the good fortune to meet Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Oh and also as a councilor he was a member of the council rowing team. I do have an early memory of seeing him and his team in a race. I think they won. Whist on National Service, driving tank transporters must have been the start of his enjoyment of driving. He enjoyed a long working life in medical sales which involved a lot of driving and he also enjoyed the nice cars that went along with it. Like the boats, the cars also got bigger and bigger, and he always took great pride in them and took good care of them. It was a sad day for him when he had to give up driving. David had a very strong faith. He was a member of the Catenians for 44 years and at different times was president of the Seaford, the Wimbledon and the Kingston-upon-Thames circles. He was awarded his 40 year scroll at home in 2020, which was a proud moment for him. His final years may not have been how he would have wished, after he was taken seriously ill in 2019. At this time he lost his mobility which never fully recovered. Though Fran did everything in her power to keep her husband at home, it eventually became too much. Dad spent his final couple of years here in Nazareth House where he was extremely well cared for. He would often comment how lucky he was to have so many friends and family visit him. As a family we have received an enormous number of condolence cards and some very heartfelt sympathies as friends have remembered David. He made a lot of friends from all corners of the world during his life. To quote some: 1. “So much fun and laughter. We are left with so many happy memories” 2. “David was a valued and popular member of our yacht club and will be remembered with affection by those who knew him” 3. “He was resplendent in his toastmaster attire” 4. “He loved being part of the life at Hampton Court Palace and I’m so lucky that I knew David” 5. “He was very much of the “old school” which seems to be increasingly rare” 6. “We will Remember David very fondly, a kind and lovely man” It is also worth noting that his Gin and Tonics seem to have been very popular. There have been several memories of how David made the best G&Ts. So I would like to finish by asking that the next time you have a glass in your hand please raise it in memory of Dad. Thank you.

David, you have been a kind and loving husband to my dear friend Frances (Fran) I have happy memories of your wedding day, your 25th wedding anniversary & a boat trip on the Thames.Rest in Peace.

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