Thursday, February 18, 2016

It's a long time since I've done this - but we laid my dad to rest today.  It was a lovely day, or as lovely as these days can be, my dad's friends were out in force - standing room only at the crematorium.

I had a few words to say, which are set out below.   But in a nutshell, my dad was the best dad a boy could wish for, I miss him terribly and the world is a worse place without him.  But the world is a wonderful place for having him in it.

Love you Dad.


My dad was a popular man – he was well loved and he made friends easily.  Whoever you were, he would always remember your name – as long as your name was Curly.
He wasn’t one for giving out lots of parental advice – he led by example really (and what a great example he set).  He did, however, give me two bits of advice that I’d like to share with you.  On the subject of girlfriends – “Always make sure you have a look at their mother first”.  Excellent advice, I’m sure you’ll agree.  On the subject of marriage – “Think about it ‘til you’re forty…then forget it”.  Well, I’m afraid I ignored that particular bit of advice, Dad.  Twice.
I worked with my Dad for a few years, at Levers. I knew about the soap powder and the other stuff, of course, but it was only then I found out just how much of Levers’ business model revolved around the repairing of kettles.
While I was at Levers, no-one really called me by my name.  I was always ‘George Waring’s lad’.  It was often the same when I was out: “Are you George Waring’s lad?”  For a while this used to irritate me – I wanted to be me, not someone’s lad.  But then I thought – yes – I am George Waring’s lad.  And that’s something I should be really proud of.
I am proud to be George’s son, and I know our Jon is too.  And that Andrew, Matthew, Ross and Isabel are proud to be his Grandchildren.  That Pat is proud to have been George’s wife for 58 years.  And that all of you are proud to have known him too.

So thanks Dad, for everything.  If I turn out to be half the man you were, I’ll have done all right.