Saying goodbye to an old Friend…

Widnes Crematorium

Today was a very sad day for me… I went to say goodbye, to a very dear friend. We both came out of the construction trades at around the same time, and joined Warrington Collegiate, in the Summer of 2005, to start our full-time teaching careers together… we were both enrolled on the same night school courses, to gain our professional teaching qualifications, first with Warrington Collegiate, and then progressing to a teaching degree with Chester University, but teaching whilst we learned… We laughed, and sometimes even cried along the route, but we were always there for each other, and he was always my ‘go-to‘ if I had any problems…

 

John at our Graduation

The Warrington Collegiate, Cert Ed class of 2008 at Warrington Parish Church

 

Although I’m sure many of us who knew John, will have their own treasured memories, of him, however, my thoughts go back to one of the many funny excursions we both enjoyed together… This one even included Connor (John & Linda’s… son), when we all met at a port on the Welsh coast in the May of 2012, to to board a chartered boat, to take us on a fishing trip into the Irish Sea…. It was blowing a gale, that day…. and as we headed out…. If any of you have watched the film “the Perfect Storm’… this was a true depiction of our voyage… the captain of the vessel, actually asked us if we wanted to return to port, for a full refund, but the general consensus was to go on…. DOHHH !!!

 

Preparing to board… Connor, John, Simon & Phil

Connor and John, chill out as we leave the harbour

When we got out into the Irish sea… the boat was pitching up onto the waves, and suddenly dropping into the swells….. this went on for what seemed an age…. until we dropped anchor to get the rods out… only by now, the boat was rolling from side to side, and that’s when the problems started half of us were bending over the side… doing what most ‘normal’ people do in this situation….

 

Connor watches on…

 

I was managing to hold it all down, and acting like the BIG guy…. until John… reached into his coat, and pulled out the most enormous rolled cigar… which he proceeded to light… as he was standing next to me… the smell of the boat… the petrol… and now John’s bazooka of a cigar… made even me reach for the rail….. much to John’s amusement… bugger…lol. Sufficed to say…. there were no more photos taken after that !!!

When we arrived back at the harbour, with our meagre catch…. we managed to jump from the boat, onto the submerged jetty, and made our way back to the cars… to change… then believe it or not…lol…. found a local cafe, to enjoy a real fish dinner…

 

 

There are so many stories I could tell, where John and I laughed together, and shared our own stories of family life, but just one more small one, was when John & Linda went to Venice recently, John was always telling me that Linda wanted to go to the ‘Eternal City’… and go they did…. John asked if I would write them a ‘where to go‘ sheet…. it was a such a privileged to  do it for such a lovely couple…. based on my own experiences, built up over many visits and years.

 

John & Linda’s Venetian Hotel…. and how to get there…

 

So with this, I end and keep many pleasurable memories of a good and close work colleague and friend, for better times, when we all meet up and reminisce about friends no longer with us… but still vivid in our stories and memories…. and this is how we keep those wonderful memories alive…

John was a mere 52 years old, when he passed… and leaves his wife Linda, and son Connor… he was so popular with everyone he came across, and this was borne out by the mass of people who attended his funeral at Widnes Crematorium… It was so good to see, so many of John’s friends, family and work colleagues, especially those from Warrington Collegiate, with whom we spent so long together… We often hear about funerals, which have standing room only… however, John’s was so well attended, that over 100+ had to stand outside the chapel, and the service was broadcast by speakers to those outside… its a good job it was a nice day… John would have had a good giggle at that….lol.

 

Standing room only after the chapel was full…

 

So long…. my ‘friend’ …
save me a ‘good vintage’ and a couple of glasses,
for when we meet again…

 

Farewell to an old friend….

Family Flowers…