Thinking of you and your family over Christmas

You would have been a great son-in-law, still can't believe your gone. Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day.... unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed and very dear. love Donna and Paul xx

Words for our Son Richard Our son Richard was born at 11:24am on the 24th of the 11th 1983 and he filled our hearts with pride. That pride never diminished. His passing has left a space in this world and in our hearts that can never be filled. Our family shattered… our hearts broken… our lives forever changed. As a child Richard was always happy, inquisitive, funny, adventurous and loving. Traits he never lost as he grew into a fine young man. He had a plan, a five-year plan. Richard was always looking to the future. The world was his oyster and if he worked hard enough nothing was impossible. But a cruel fate awaited him in the form of indifference and incompetence and so ended his dream. His future taken not only from him and us but also from all those that knew and loved him. His sister Rebecca and her young family, he was always so proud of them, his grandparents, his extended family, his friends and also from Jo who was to join him in his life’s great adventure. Because of his zest for life he was interested in so many varied and diverse things. As a child he swam for Coseley Swimming Club. He played in a local football team, he did Karate and for a short time he ran for Tipton Harriers He enjoyed pony trekking and fishing catching his first big fish while on holiday in Ireland. He also learned to play both acoustic and electric guitar and still had time for school. He loved scenic holidays and walking nurtured in part by his childhood experiences of holidaying in Wales and his participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, hiking and orienteering in breath taking environments. He tried scuba diving and took up rugby at university. He ran for fitness and cycled, sometimes for fun, sometimes for charity. He and Jo trampolined in a cave, zip wired down a mountain, flew in a wind chamber, free wheeled on a scooter down a Swiss mountain and were brave enough to complete a high wire aerial adventure and in Richard’s case he even attempted some of it wearing a blindfold. However, his passion for classic cars and bikes has been an enduring passion, one that he shared with his Dad from a very early age and later with his uncle Dave and more recently with Jo. Although he enjoyed so many things in life Richard always remained focused. Diligent and hard working, he always endeavoured to do his best, never giving up on any of the goals he set for himself. His final success heartbreakingly came posthumously. A fantastic 80% pass mark in his final exam after years of hard work to become a Chartered Management Accountant. We hope he knows how very proud we all are of him. Anyone that met Richard couldn’t help but like him. He was always polite and respectful with a strong sense of what was right and wrong and of fairness. He had empathy and compassion and a strong moral compass. We are going to miss his twinkling eyes, the sound of his laughter, his thoughtfulness, the raised eyebrow, accompanied by his nod of approval and the very space he took up in our lives. There is no comfort that can be found to ease our pain or to numb our desolate feeling of loss. How do you lose a child and carry on? That is just not the order of things or the way it should be. We remain forever missing him… but the world moves on, a sadder place without him. Jane & Cyril, Mum & Dad