Another Christmas without you Tom....we are all missing you ......all we have left are memories but wonderful memories.....’Till’.....’Yours

1st June 2017...Taryn and Andy at Buckingham Palace. Proud moment Tom ...another bursting with pride moment for you. Also a happier time for 1st June. It was 1st June 2011 when you were taken ill .....two broken hips etc., we had another nine months together until you left us on 5th February 2012.

You would have been 82 today Tom....i’ve Put a video of some photos I’ve found over the last few days. Dianne singing in the background. Happy Birthday To You.

I’ll Be Seeing You......”Till”.....”Yours”

Cali was born on the 31st October 2016 to grandson Nick and Emma....sixth great grandchild for Tom and I....

We married on 30th March 1957, we were together 55 years until Tom passed away. 60 years together if you count our courting days.

Another Great Grandson has been born Tom.

Hadley Luke Freeman Hoare born on 20th March 2014 to our granddaughter Neilé and Luke.

Thinking of all the wonderful times with you and Mum, Di and Taryn. All the precious things you taught us and shared with us. How to love and care for each other. How to care for others not so fortunate. And fortunate we were. It's been hard living without you in our lives but we are still taking care of each the best way we can. Even though we are far apart from each other - whether that be distance or because of busy lives - there isn't a minute that passes that Mum, Di and Taryn are not in my thoughts. I know you're watching over us but it was better when you were here, driving us mad! When times were tough you were there, being strong. Everytime I hear Stardust or Passing Strangers, or watch a film like The Yearling or Random Harvest I remember you. Films and songs an important part of our lives. Missing mum and keeping her in my thoughts, happy that you shared so many, many happy times together. Small comfort sometimes but comfort nonetheless. x

Huxley was born on Trafalgar Day 21st October 2013 to our grandson Nick and his lovely wife Emma.  He was due to be born on the 26th October but just for you Tom he arrived on Trafalgar Day was this a sign that you were with us again Tom.

This song has been on my mind for days it was one of your favourites Tom, you were always quizzing people on who wrote it.....Hoagy Carmichael wrote the music and Mitchell Parish wrote the lyrics. I looked up the lyrics and thought how apt they were and hoped it might be you sending me a message, I hope so.


Verse: And now the purple dusk of twilight time, steals across the meadows of my heart. High up in the sky the little stars climb, always reminding me that we're apart. You wander down the lane and far away, leaving me a song that will not die. Love is now the Stardust of yesterday, the music of the years gone by.

Chorus: Sometimes I wonder why I spend the lonely nights dreaming of a song. The melody haunts my reverie, and I am once again with you when our love was new, and each kiss an inspiration. But that was long ago, and now my consolation Is in the stardust of a song. Beside the garden wall, when stars are bright you are in my arms, the nightingale tells his fairy tale, of paradise where roses grow. Though I dream in vain, in my heart you will remain my stardust melody, the memory of loves refrain.

I have just been searching my whole flat, looking for a lighter; never found one though! I’m sure when I do not need one, 10 will turn up!

I was just about to give up looking and use the toaster, when i gave one last look in the draw under the sink and you came to my rescue! In the form of matches.

England’s Glory matches, it was only when I had struck the match, lit my fag, and was just about to the dead match back in its box that I giggled to myself. The reason for this was the sound of your voice, 'Put that bloody one in the bin when you've used it. I pissing sick of going to light the cooker and forever pulling out dead matches!'

The same routine as above used to happen all the time when I lived with you and grandma, I never put my lighters away in the same place, so could never find one and I always ended up pinching some matches off the top of the fridge, the matches always being Englands Glory, just like the ones I had found in the draw, in fact, they probably were yours, as I never buy them.

Stood at my kitchen sink with a fag in one hand and a dead match in the other, I giggled again... I remember visiting you and grandma once, and as I walked through the kitchen door... heard, not the usual 'Hi lu how are you?' However, heard you yell... ‘What have I told you about putting dead matches back in the box? Grandma has just farted and it stunk! And when I tried striking a match to deaden the smell I pulled out a bloody used match!' (If you are reading this grandma, I am sorry - you had participated in breaking wind!)

Then, a noise came from outside, which lead my eyes to the kitchen window. Having my mother’s genes, (being nosey, that is!!) I peeped out of my kitchen window to see what it was and saw the kids from the estate running past our flat, out playing before it was time to be in. It was dark out, as its Christmas Eve. The sky was filled with what seemed like glitter, amongst the glitter there was one big bright shining diamond (or so it seemed) it must have been you, your star I stood and gazed for a while at natures fairy lights (the stars) whilst thinking of you and these matches! When soon the view became cloudy, and a tear fell on to my cheeck.

This was when I said to myself, the words from your favourite poem, the words you said to me a lot, especially when I was having my ‘bad times’. 'Play up, Play up and Play the game!' and that is just what I did, I put the dead match back in the box! Heehee! Well, you would not be you with nothing to moan about! Its strange how such silly thing like a box of matches, can create such emotions, the one thing whilst growing up, I have never quite understood, the one thing I played with, and not just my own. It is too late now, I know, but thank you grandpa, you always had my back, and on that word (back); I put back the dead match!   

Moreover, as its Christmas day tomorrow and I am sure you will be doing the cooking for all upstairs here is a little gift from me to you, just in case you need them, to light the cooker... (should be a picture if ive loaded it right!!)


Merry xmas baldy! miss you.  

WEVE SHARED OUR HEARTS FULL OF HOLIDAY CHEER.   
AND SHOPPED FOR PRESENTS FOR LOVED ONES THIS YEAR
THE HOUSE IS DRESSED UP WITH GARLANDS AND LIGHTS
THAT SPARKLE AND SHINE THROUGH THE HOLIDAY NIGHTS
BUT EVEN WIYH ALL OF THIS HOLIDAY BLISS 
THERES SOMEONE WE LOST THAT WE TERRIBLY MISS
AND AS CHRISTMAS DAY DRAWERS NEAR
WE WISH WITH ALL OUR HEARTS HE WAS HERE.
HES LIVING LIFE WAY UP PAST THE STARS 
SOMEWHERE PAST JUPITER,SATURN AND MARS
HES SPENDING HIS CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN,YOU SEE
AND LAST NIGHT AS I SLEPT,A DREAM CAME TO ME.
HE WAS STANDING BEFORE ME,HAPPY AND WELL
HE SAID TO ME "I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL...
HEAVEN'S MORE WONDEROUS THAN YOU WOULD BELIEVE
IT'S THE GREATEST OF GIFTS I COULD EVER RECEIVE.
I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO REMEMBER THE GOOD.
YOU KNOW I'D BE THERE IF ONLY I COULD.
SO DON'T FEEL SO BAD THAT I'M NOT THERE
THERE'S SO MANY MEMORIES YOU CAN ALL SHARE.
AS YOU GATHER TOGETHER,I'M SURE YOU'LL FIND
THE GIFT'S DEEP WITHIN YOU THAT I LEFT BEHIND.
EACH ONE IS UNIQUE AND WRAPPED BRIGHTLY IN LOVE THEY SHINE FROM YOUR HEARTS AS I SHINE FROM ABOVE I
I LOVE YOU DAD AND ALWAYS WILL MERRY CHRISTMAS DAD XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX LOVE DI ONE OF THE 3 RICHEST KIDS IN TOWN.                          

Our third Great Granchild born on 11th May 2012, Elsie Grace.  I'm sure you know Tom but she is adorable.  Proud parents Luke and Neilé are delighted, tired and very happy.  Grandparents Neil and Tracy are equally delighted, tired and very happy.

Here is a photo of three Nurses from Ward B2, together with 5 of our grandchildren presenting cheque for £1,000 collected in your memory Tom.  Collected in buckets after the funeral at Cromwell Banqueting Suite by your grandchildren and friends £545, sent instead of flowers to Alexanders' £350, from Sharon & Family in NZ £100 and cheque for £5.  You're are still doing your bit for charity Tom from wherever you are.

The staff on Ward B2 were so wonderful taking care of your every need and made sure you were in a bed they had bought with their charity works [An All Singing, Dancing Bed] and also took care of all of us too in those early days that went by in a daze, we are forever in their debt.


Hope this goes some way to show how much we appreciated all they did.   

A tree is to be planted in Tom's Memory at Normanton le Heath, Leicestershire by the Woodland Trust in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubile 2012.  "Onward and Upwards He Goes....."

 "Sometimes our lives are enriched by people who are so special we are happier just because we knew them" 

On the 30th March 2012 which would have been our 55th (Emerald) Wedding Anniversary Tom,  and the day our daughter Taryn was sworn in as a Queen's Counsel in Westerminster Hall our 3 daughters presented me with this ring at the hotel  which contains some of your ashes and is also green (how cool is that) to make sure you were with us.  I know you would have liked to buy me the biggest Emerald Ring if you could but money can't buy love and you gave that in abundance to us all.  I wear this ring every day Tom and think of you all the time, you're never far away, just a whisper.  "Yours"  "Till"

Tom's Ashes are in a bust of Lord Nelson and they now sit upon his desk.  He was very proud of his desk and also Lord Nelson so it seems right. 

On the 29th March 2012 we travelled to London to be there for the 30th March 2012 (on what would have been our 55th Wedding Anniversary Tom) to see our daughter Taryn sworn in as a Queen's Counsel in the Westminster Hall.  You knew this might happen and we had hoped you would have still been alive to share in this wonderful magical time but it wasn't to be.  Taryn got to know that she had been chosen on the 28th February 2012 (which would have been your 76th birthday) and also then the ceremony would be on the 30th March 2012.  How spooky is that.  I also, before I left home, wondered what I could take with me of yours and decided on your wedding ring.  When I told Taryn this she said on the day she got married you and her were on the way to the church and she said she had something new, something blue, you were old but she had nothing borrowed so you took off your wedding ring and put it on her finger and she wore it that day.  I didn't know this story......so she wore your wedding ring all that day whilst she was sworn in.  Also her friend Darren decided that after all the ceremonies he would organise somewhere for us all to be for drinks etc. and after trying many different venues, booking then cancelling for one reason or another he decided on the roof of the Trafalgar Hotel, overlooking Nelson's Column, not knowing that Nelson was your hero and you used trafalgar etc. for some of your passwords and even had a picture of Nelson on your cards you handed out with your name and address etc. on.  So we ended up toasting both you and Taryn on the rooftop looking out at Nelson's Column.  The girls and I think about you and talk about you all the time and I have got photos of you looking at me from all different parts of the room so you are keeping me company whilst I sit in my chair and watch TV and read.  "Yours"  "Till"

I rember us going down the prom (me,grandma and grampa) and me and grandpa most of the time taking pictures of boats. while grandpa was taking picture's me and grandma was looking at a market near the swimming baths and they bought me a telescope of the lifeboat stall.when grandpa was in hospital he gave me his camra i will treasuer it forever love and miss you grandpa love you grandma love you both liv xxxxx

My abiding memory of Tommy will always be from when I was a kid around 15 years old! He was always funny, it was great to see him as he always made me laugh!

I also have the memory of Tommy asking me to Repair the engine on his Ford Popular Van! ....... I guess that would be around 1965? I had only been an apprentice for a few months! so the repair of the engine was a real challenge to say the least! ...Anyway it was successful, I can remember the feeling of achievement to this day!!

We have to say, that if we had to grade a Funeral? Tommy's would be on the top of our list! I guess this is exactly what Tommy wanted? You all did him proud!

Love
John and Cath

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND DAD TAKING ME TO SCATHO BATHS SWIMMING POOL HE WOULD TELL ME TO STAND AT THE WALL AT THE BACK OF THE POOL THEN SHOUT ME TO RUN AND JUMP IN AND HE SAID I'LL CATCH YOU SO AFTER 3 I WOULD RUN AS FAST AS MY LITTLE LEGS WOULD GO AND TRUE TO HIS WORD HE WOULD CATCH ME TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW DAD YOUR STRONG HANDS ARNT HERE ANY MORE TO CATCH ME BEFOR I FALL I MISS YOU SO MUCH LOVE YOU DAD .LOVE DIANNE DAUGHTER NUMBER 2 ONE OF THE LEE SISTERS THE RICHEST KIDS IN TOWN