A absolutely brilliant guy who l had the privilege to work alongside. Generous funny and truly caring. I can only say thank you.

My memories of Richard are of a kind, wise, and utterly dependable man, with a lovely twinkly nature. I first got to know him well when he joined the Barrow Gurney Festival committee, as Treasurer, in 2002. The Festival had been going for some 15 years by then, and we were a close knit group of half a dozen - but Richard fitted in seamlessly right from the start, and was an obvious asset. Good on practical matters. Good on keeping our finances in order. And in particular a wonderfully unflappable member of the team. He and Margery took on the job of running and manning the "box office" year after year for all of the events. Richard was also a stalwart supporter of the food bank run by the Sisters of the Church in St Pauls, Bristol, where he and Margery helped with the packing of the bags that were handed out each week. Again his unfailing cheeriness and reliability was a real strength. Tim Nicholson

What a man! Glad to be with you all today he would have loved us all singing our hearts out in front of the laptop, he would of especially enjoyed Elsie the puppy joining in . May God enfold you all in His love today and always. much love ann

We knew Richard through our meetings at Charlotte's parties (where he invariably manned the tea and coffee). He was always a kind and generous person - a dependable father and grandfather. Alan, Gemma, Gavin, Thomas, Benjamin, Rhianna & Felix Allan.

Richard and I were ‘comrades in arms’ on the Parochial Church Council. He was the lynch pin who held us together during his long tenure as Churchwarden and I will forever be indebted to him for his unstinting service. He was not afraid of hard work and happily prepared the mulled wine for our annual carol service, serving up to 100+ people on one famous occasion. On Good Friday morning, he, Margery and myself would prepare a pile of hot cross buns for the brave souls walking up the Combe from Flax Bourton, come rain or shine. On Sunday mornings, he and Margery were always the first to arrive at church to open up and begin preparations for the morning service. They were invariably the last to leave after everything had been tidied away. It has been a privilege and joy to have known Richard and I will miss him. His cheerful demeanour will be missed by us all, but his memory will live on. Sleep well, dear friend. Pat Leighton

Richard was one of those people where you knew instantly upon meeting him he was a kind soul. My brother Allan always spoke of how welcoming and generous Richard was and he was a huge to support to Emily and Charlotte when Allan passed, as well as to the wider family. I remember how proud he was on Emily's wedding day and how he delighted in Charlotte always - a fantastic Grandpa who she will no doubt miss greatly. It will be very strange at family occasions in future to not see Richard manning the tea urn, making sure everyone is provided for and welcomed. It is with great sadness we say goodbye; his character will live on in his children and grandchildren.

The restrictions of this last year - and the less-than-perfect internet connections in BG! - meant that I missed the opportunity to work closely with Richard in his role as churchwarden but, nonetheless, it was clear to me throughout my first year in post just what a 'good and faithful servant' he had been, and continued to be in support of church and community, right to the end; and how widely respected and loved he was by so many in the parish and further afield. May he now rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen. Revd James Harris

Dad you were always up for an adventure and a laugh. You were also strong and reliable and always there when we needed you. So many happy memories, from setting light to his serviette and table cloth, when lighting the Christmas pudding to taking us swimming on a Saturday morning followed by a doughnut from the bakers opposite. Family holidays full of fun and laughter and invariably rain. Surprise trips to the beach on sunny days and so many many more. You will leave a big hole in our lives, but one full of the best memories never to be forgotten. Catherine

Family holidays, where our destination was always “round the next bend", helping me with maths homework (thanks to home schooling, now I get it – they don’t teach maths the way I was taught!!), foul smelling indoor fireworks, watching the crowd part when he used his loud voice, smoking a cigar just to keep the midgies away, singing and performing on stage (and me being upset that everyone was booing because he was playing the villain), walking me down the aisle on my wedding day, and meeting Charlotte for the first time - my memories of dad are such happy ones, and whenever I miss him I will think back to happy family times. Emily & Charlotte

We are thinking about you all at this difficut time, made so much worse by the pandemic restrictions. We did not know Richard well, but he was certainly a very beloved Grandpa to our grandaughter, Hannah, who misses him greatly. From her other grandparents, Peter and Jane

Richard was always a kind and thoughtful person, both as a neighbour in Naish Lane, and friend , who hugely contributed to the church, and to those in need, very much appreciated with love from Judy and Ed Bradley

My prayers and thoughts are with you all at your sad time

Richard and I grew up together in our teens. We sang in St.Edwards Church choir, played rugby together for Standard Telephone and Cables, New Eltham, and hiked over South England, camping, youth hostelling and sometimes sleeping rough. We also began our working lives together - he for the post office EC3 and myself for Royal Exchange Assurance Co. Threadneedle Street. We joined Bromley Male Voice Choir together so the occasion for the photo. We got into it through Ron Fitzgerald who ran the church choir: I sang 2nd tenor Dick 1st bass. The photo was taken at one of the competition venues the choir entered - this one might have been Hastings or Brighton...I can't be certain. It was a busy life when I think back on it with a few memorable adventures: the time we got stuck on the River Bure, Yarmouth our hired 2 berth motor boat caught in the rip tide under Yarmouth Bridge and had to be rescued by an old salt with a long pole - he eased us out of the tide race - our two stroke wasn't up to it. And another time in Macclesfield when we stopped to see a film, missed our bus to a little cottage on the moors we'd been given access to near Winkle and had to sleep on a bus at the bus station...trouble was we didn't ask first so we were disturbed on the top deck of a double decker by a couple of policemen who thought we were toughs up to no good from the "Smoke" which was what they called London. They let us sleep on afterwards when they realised we were only 17 year olds looking for shelter. Someone has already said what a calm man Richard was. I remember him like that too except when he was excited he could let out an uncharacteristic yelp of glee. But he was mostly thoughtful and when he was thinking he would push his glasses up his nose a little before making a pronouncement of some kind like the time he found a ten bob note fluttering in the wind before us as we walked...or the time hiking, wearing his big brother's borrowed, or was it discarded, army boots which inexplicably lost a sole mid stride and flapped around like a dead fish...he was totally gob smacked about that! But I remember him most affectionately in his trilby hat walking the dog down Thursley (?) Road where he lived in those days with his mum and dad and beyond - often quite late and in all seasons. I am sorry those days are gone. RIP Dick I'll be seeing you. Ed. Leach

I always thought of Richard as a calm kind and compassionate man who was a mainstay of Barrow Gurney Church. Karen M

Daddy Fell Into the Pond by Alfred Noyes I learnt this poem for a Brownie badge many years ago and it stayed with me. I remember much rehearsing with Dad ( and mum!). Dad gave us so many, many laughs over the years :-) and given that Dad did indeed fall in a pond ( when he was much younger!) It seemed somehow appropriate! There are many beautiful and moving poems but somehow this seemed more 'Dad' love Sarah x Daddy Fell Into the Pond by Alfred Noyes Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey. We had nothing to do and nothing to say. We were nearing the end of a dismal day, And then there seemed to be nothing beyond, Then Daddy fell into the pond! And everyone’s face grew merry and bright, And Timothy danced for sheer delight. "Give me the camera, quick, oh quick! He’s crawling out of the duckweed!" Click! Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee, And doubled up, shaking silently, And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft, And it sounded as if the old drake laughed. Oh, there wasn’t a thing that didn’t respond When Daddy Fell into the pond!

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. I am in a thousand winds that blow, I am the softly falling snow. I am the gentle showers of rain, I am the fields of ripening grain. I am in the morning hush, I am in the graceful rush Of beautiful birds in circling flight, I am the starshine of the night. I am in the flowers that bloom, I am in a quiet room. I am in the birds that sing, I am in each lovely thing. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there. I do not die. From Ros & John

I am I and you are you, whatever we were to each other that we still are. Speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? Life means all that it ever meant, it is the same as it ever was.