As my Dad, David, Uncle David, Dave and yeah a few other names from time to time, said to me leading up to his passing…

'Wouldn't it have been terrible to go like this without having enjoyed life like I did.' 

…and as we know Dad did enjoy himself and the company of us his family and the many, many, many, friends he made over the years.  So whilst the shock of Dad’s passing after a relatively short illness is so incredibly hard for us to come to terms with, he would definitely not want us to feel morbid for him today or any day!

So let’s get that right by sharing with each other the many special and enjoyable memories we each have of Dad throughout today and whenever we want. 

This Tribute to Dad is naturally from a family’s perspective but we’ll also hear a few words spoken by one of his Granddaughters, my eldest daughter Martha and from those written by Dad’s close friend Albert Gunning spoken by Philip.

Dad comes from a very close family and was the youngest child of Bill and Phyll born on 1st April 1941 and leaves his brother Malcolm and sister Maureen.  They enjoyed a hard working but lovely childhood growing up on the family farm Heathfield near Powisland Drive Derriford.  The two boys shared a bedroom for some 20 years and most weekends there were 4 sharing when friends Brian McGuiness & Peter Kittow visited, now both sadly passed.  As saying goes ‘First up, best dressed!’. 

The two boys learned first-hand at an early age from their Dad about the hard work that farming entails and how to earn a good living, especially when they also bought the adjacent farm.  Any mistakes by the boys it was Malcolm who had to take the blame as the older brother.

Their combined farm was both dairy and arable, and bred a lot of pigs, and they wholesaled their crops and livestock to markets and retailers around Plymouth and the wider area.  Dad preferred doing the wholesaling bit as he enjoyed selling to customers and delivering when old enough to drive the lorries.

Dad went to Fleetwood Junior School off North Rd East and then Plympton Seniors.  He was a pretty decent horse rider competing in Gymkhanas and track races at Pennycross Stadium, that is till, as Malcolm says, he got a bit too heavy!  He was also a handy footballer playing on the wing for Tamerton on their 1959/ 60 Cup winning side.

Around the age of 19 Dad decided to venture out on his own as a Wholesale Fruit and Potato Merchant.    He built up a successful business including fruit and veg shops in Mutley Plain, Woolsely Rd, & St Budeaux and operated out of ‘The Fruit Centre’ Sutton Rd.  His working day was always an early start often up by 5am and included regular trips by Lorry to Bristol Wholesale Fruit Centre and London Covent Garden Market bringing back fresh produce to sell.

Dad worked hard but also made time for socialising, playing in the Plymouth 10 Pin Bowling League, Dancing most weeks, and going to Plymouth Speedway with Maureen every Thursday.  They were lovely days and Maureen can certainly tell a few fun stories.  During this time he fell madly in love and married Annette (now sadly passed) and they were living at Cross Park Way Crownhill when I came along in 1963.  Then we moved to a lovely house ‘Fair Glen’ at Whitleigh and it was a great family home to grow-up in.

Dad, Mum, Maureen and her then husband Peter who sadly passed far too early, enjoyed many good times together, including of course away trips to the races.  Dad usually handed a £20 note to the ladies to hang on to so they could get something nice to eat on their return to Plymouth…  well as you might of guessed Dad would sometimes ask for the £20 back whilst at the races, and instead of a lovely meal at the Athenium restaurant it would be an egg & bacon roll at Theo’s take away van on Royal Parade!

Unfortunately Dad and Mum parted in the late 70s and went their separate ways but he never stopped loving her and me.  Dad ended up living out in Devonport and rented a flat for many years, in fact two, from his very good friend Albert and as I mentioned we will hear Albert’s tribute in a bit.  Dad cherished his parents and towards the end of their lives gave up a lot of time helping care for them.

Dad and his sister Maureen have always been close and they both truly loved and cared for each other and since Maureen lost her second husband Fred, Dad has stayed most weekends with Maureen helping as needed, particularly with the cooking.  Dad as we all know was top notch at home cooking and always enjoyed preparing tasty meals for the family and neighbours at the drop of a hat.

Dad has also been a rock for Maureen and her sons Philip and Christopher over the years, and in turn they have been a rock for Dad, particularly Philip and his wife Carol who continue to live in Plymouth, as do their grown up kids Stacey and Steven, and Sam their eldest is married to Andy living in Bicester with their young family. 

We’re now about to hear a bit more of Dad as a Granddad over the last 19 years from Martha.  So I will finish now by saying Dad, David, Uncle David, Dave… you are much loved and will always be in our hearts.