Our Dad, our mentor, our hero, our friend - the best Dad and Grandpops in the world and one of the finest men who will ever walk this planet. I will always be so grateful you were ours. We had such a special Father – Daughter bond, you could do no wrong in my eyes and I could certainly do no wrong in yours. I still just can’t imagine how there can possibly be a world without you in it.
 
You were so intelligent, Dad and knew so much about everything.. Mickopedia as my Richard calls you. Yet you were kind, thoughtful, generous and so much fun too.  A man that loved his ordinance survey maps, steam trains and war books equally as much as he loved beer, naughty jokes and rocking with Bruce Springsteen and the Stones! And Apres Ski of course.
 
You have guided Steven ad I so much through life and everything we have achieved has meant so much more because of how proud it made you. You being the taxman and taking us to Abbey house in our younger years certainly encouraged us towards the financial services world and we are so thankful for where that has led us. You taught us how to be parents and providers and I promise you we will continue to follow your wonderful example. We see so much of you in your Grandchildren… Raffertys kind, sensitive ways and love of football; Arties cheeky grin and mischievousness; Max’s love for Maths, Annabelles affinity to books and Violets determination to understand how all things work. You live on through all of them and we promise they will work hard, travel the world and relish every experience life has to offer just as you did.
 
I will always, always wish for just a little more time and I think everyday if that wish were granted what would do with that time Dad…
 
Would we go and watch the Bees vs Arsenal or Chelsea with your boys or would we do a boat trip round Manhattan followed by a NY steak
 
Would we eat sushi for dinner at Nobu on South beach followed by cocktails on Espinloa way or would we ride the Jacobite train
 
Would we watch the planes land at LHR or stand on the bridge at West Ealing as an Intercity train sped below.
 
Would we sit in your garden with a beer surrounded by friends and family as you cooked Mr Mash sausages on the BBQ in your hat and apron or would we enjoy a glass of red with a Kathy Roast.
 
Would we have Ronnies weekend of complete chaos and complete fun with your Grandchildren or would we walk with them in the Chilterns to a country pub for lunch.
 
Would you hold your girls hands and lead them round the Model Village enjoying every moment as much as they were
 
Would we have a day exploring London like we always did in the school holidays when Steven and I were children with us all being in complete awe of the DLR.. a train with no driver! Or would I drag you around TopShop and Miss Selfridge as I did so many times in my teenage years
 
Would we enjoy a House Party ski holiday with a VFM ski followed by an apres ski bar to laugh and dance to DJ Otzi.
 
Would you play 18 holes with your boys who have got the golf bug after you treated them to lessons or would we go back to a holiday camp like the 80s with you watching me in a talent show and Uncle Clive in the knobbly knees contest.
 
Would we go to a Bruce Springsteen concert at the Giants Stadium or with Ian Fenn and Julie at Wembley or Hyde Park. Or perhaps we would watch the Stones at the Olympic Stadium where we had also watched Usain Bolt in the 2012 Olympics – what a day that was!
 
Would we play the camels on the pier at Paignton or would we do the ghost tour in Lyme Regis.
 
Would I pop over for a cup of tea and to ask your advice or would we enjoy a Draytonian reunion with the Winnerts at Sunnydown.
 
Would we have our annual Christmas day out at Willows or Odds Farm or The Bluebell railways.. when you would would be as excited to meet Santa as the children!


Would we drink cocktails at The Pig in the New Forest or would you once again open the bank of Dad for its most loyal customer.
 
Would we go back to the Mirror Lake Inn at Lake Placid and climb Mount Joe or take the steam train from Paignton to Dartmouth or maybe a day trip to the IoW.
 
Would we relive my wedding day, that special drive to the church, our walk down the aisle and our dance to My girl.
 
Would we celebrate your 70th birthday so that you so wished to see with a surprise party and a trip on the Orient Express that Kathy, Steven and I had planned.
 
Or would we as we did in more recent weeks sit in your garden under the magnolia tree reading the Sunday Times together and sharing our thoughts on the world today.
 
I feel we had so much left to do but my goodness we really did do so much. We are so grateful we did all this with the very best Dad and Grandpops in the world who lives on through these precious memories which provide so much comfort even in this time of such raw pain. The one thing you hated was for me or anyone you loved to be sad, upset or anxious so I will do my very best to be strong, happy and live every day to the absolute full just like you did and just like your glass was always!
 
Steven and I will be eternally grateful to our lovely WSM. Kathy has been in our lives for the last 32 years, she couldn’t have loved or supported us more. As much as everyone here loved and cared for my Dad, none of us went through as much as Kathy did over the last 3 years.. be it the constant drives to Oxford, the side effects of the drugs Dad took in his courageous fight or just living with Dad as he got weaker each day and respecting his wish to protect Steven and I... We promised Dad we would always look after you and we will. You are forever part of our family and we love you so much.
 
We sat together and held Dads hands as he peacefully slipped away, we told him how much we loved him and that we were just sending him home to his darling parents Ronnie & Lily and his little boy Simon. He was so brave, so dignified and fought until the very end.  Goodnight, God bless you my darling Dad, we lost you way too soon but I know that you are always with us. Sweet dreams, until we meet again. I love you so much.