When my dad died at the great age of 96 it was a huge shock as just a few days before he had been laughing and joking at my 60th birthday. For as long as I can remember he and my mum, Ethel, had raised funds for the Children's Society. There was always a box in the house, but they used to raise money in many other ways at All Saints Church in Heaton Norris. He came from a poor background. His dad was killed in France in 1916 and his mum brought up 4 children alone. He was a regular soldier in the Tank Regiment for a number of years, serving in India, Afghanistan, the Middle East and all over Europe during the second world war. He was an extremely intelligent, good humoured, kind and generous man of principle who would always put others before himself. Everyone remembers him smiling and laughing. He was a very loving dad and grandad and a very loyal friend. He is sadly missed by us all and we feel proud and privileged to have shared our lives with him. Love you always.