I felt I had to write some words about Dick and my sorrow at his passing. My earliest meeting with Dick was at his marriage to Pat in 1947. If you've ever seen the group photo of Pat & Dick's wedding, I was the very bewildered looking 3 year old dressed in a white silk page boy's outfit standing in front of the group. Pat is my aunt, being my late Dad's sister and I therefore acquired Dick as my Uncle. Geri and I sat recalling memories on Tuesday evening, after the funeral, reminiscing over some of the memories down the years. I spent many holidays with Pat, Dick and Geri in my younger days and I can only recall the fun we had and Dick's wicked sense of humour. I learnt to swim during one of my holidays with them in Herne Bay. After proudly telling Dick that I could now swim he filled my trunks with pebbles from the beach and then told me to try and swim now. Fortunately he stopped me before I went into the sea! I was a somewhat rebellious and cantankerous young teenager but I always knew I had gone a bit too far with my parents when I was taken quietly aside by Dick and given a few quiet words of wisdom and counsel (I might add on more than one occasion!!) and I would like to think that they gave me some guidance in how I've conducted my life. Geri and I shared many memories of my holidays with them, of Dick's sense of humour, of his terrible jokes and puns, of musical Christmases spent together, of his impressions of Eric Morecambe and of several Masonic Ladies Nights. In later years my wife Christine and I saw Dick and Pat all too infrequently, but, whenever we did it was always a joyous and laughter filled event. We were particularly happy that we were able to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with them and I was proud to propose the toast. I am very sad that he is no longer with us and I say farewell to a great gentleman and a very gentle man. Brian