Hi everyone. I’m Toby. To myself, and those who I wrote this speech on behalf of, Ron was grandad. I’d like to share some words that encapsulate what grandad meant to us, and how we plan to remember him.

When we think about grandad, we think about someone who always knew better than the tennis players on the TV. He could probably coach any snooker player to victory. Win the ‘Weakest Link’ or a round of ‘Countdown’? Piece of cake. I remember visiting nan & grandad’s once as a child, and nan was telling us about a new development in grandad’s football-watching experience. Not only would he know better than the players (and make it known), but he had recently started to kick and twitch his legs when he thought the players should shoot. As someone who’s never really been into football, watching-grandad-watch-football was always the real entertainment. 

When we think about grandad, we think about the endless stream of chaos he would endure whenever we visited. Various arts and crafts, cooking, play-doh, cycling, Easter-egg hunts, water-balloon fights, dress up, amateur theatre… As you can imagine, that list goes on for some time. Did he grumble at us if we got too close to ruining the sacred flower-beds and vegetable patches? Of course! Did that stop us? Absolutely not. From rowdy Halloween parties to holidays in Wales, grandads grumpy disposition would be quickly washed away amongst a torrent of our smiles and laughter. If the stars so happened to align, we might’ve even had a chuckle out of him too.

When we think about grandad, we think of someone who was always there, in his armchair in the corner with a seemingly endless supply of different multi-tools and toothpicks. He had almost become a staple of the living room furnishings. But that’s what we loved about grandad, the fact that he was there - to help get the bikes out each time; to let us begin watering the flowers only for it to turn into a water fight; to provide comfort and company in what really became a home away from home for all of us. A place for Christmases. A place for sleepovers. A place for childhood happiness. A place where extended family and friends often came together for birthdays and celebrations. It simply won’t be the same without you.

Thank you grandad, for being that person. Your memory will live on through the generations in stories, photographs, and fond memories.