Bob arrived in our family in 1969. My Mum had been widowed in 1965 at the age of just 33 and was bringing up a teenage son and a very young daughter on her own. He must have been mad to take us all on!!! One of the first things I remember was that he pressed my suit for my job interview with the Midland Bank (my first job). His expert pressing, learnt in the RAF, must have impressed the manager of the bank as I was given the job! 

In 1969 I was a young MOD riding about on my scooter and one thing that Bob hated was scooters as he thought they were death traps (they actually were) and he constantly tried to get me off one and onto a motorbike! I resisted for about a year but eventually he gave me a Triumph Tiger Cub bike and I reluctantly gave in and once I rode it I was hooked.

My first car was an old Austin 1100 which I then proceeded to "blow up" the engine. Guess who had to fix it? Yep Bob came to the resuce even lending me his very flash Sunbeam Rapier, whilst he rebuilt the engine on mine. He wouldn't let me off that easily though and he taught me how to remove the engine, strip it down, repair and rebuild it. I had lessons at panel beating as well and learnt that sometimes if you didn't have something you just had to make it.

There was literally almost nothing that he couldn't repair or "Fix" and not just to do with cars.

In September 1975 I married Lynn and Bob was my best man, as even though he was my stepdad he was also my mate!

We played golf together, went fishing together, went to the pub (quite a lot) together and all the other things that Father and Son and mates do.

He was always there for all of my family and quite regularly had to sort out things for my wife Lynn, when I was off travelling on business.

My three daughters loved him and I know will miss him very much. My youngest daughter told me recently that she was very proud to have had such a Strong Grandad. He was also a Great Grandad to my 5 grandchildren as well!

Lynn my wife would often find him wandering over Wisley Common with his dog Jessie when walking our dogs and he would literally spending hours walking, taking in all the wildlife which he loved so much. You could often find him in our garden after walking the dog looking at the river deciding where he was going to fish next.

Bob, thank you for being there for all of us! You were kind, generous and a jolly decent bloke.

God Bless you and until we meet again........

Lynn & Graham xx