He was my greatest hero, my rock, my mentor, my councillor, my sounding board for life's questions. I did not always agree with him, but knew his advise came from a place of experience and love.
A lover and a fighter.
In a time of war he was born into a large loving family. Times were tough and so were they, they had no choice. He often told me that you don't back down from a fight. Fight for what you believe to be the truth and if you lose you take your lumps, but at least you fought for what you believed in. Brian mentioned yesterday that the times he fought by dad’s side, Dad never started it, but never walked away from it either. And that includes the times he kicked deaths arse over the last few years.
As a lover he loved with his whole heart. His family always came first. He was the rock they all knew they could rely on. If he could help he would, even if the price included what some might think a lecture. Life was for living and he lived it to the full. He was always cheerful and had time for all. He also had an anecdote for all occasions.
These last few years were tough ones, just like the first 18, but he often told me that between those times he had the best life, and the best of this country. He was only in the army for a few years but relived those adventures on a regular basis. And I would happily let him tell me stories he'd told me countless times before because he liked to, and I liked to hear him. He was young, vital and full of life in those stories. He was the hero of my childhood in those stories. He even named me after his best friend from those army days.
He was my hero for many reasons. As a young lad he and his bothers were my ideal of what a man should always aspire to be. Harder than granite. Yet I also saw the softer side that showed a real man cares for his family and both protects and prepares them from the harsh world around them.
He would take it upon himself to introduce not only myself but many of my cousins to the art of the pub crawl. And many times he told me that it was his way of protecting us. If we were out with him and got into trouble he would be there to help. Until we knew what it was all about, the move from children playing in the street to adults playing in the pub was watched over by our guardian angel.
Memories fade but the scars still linger,
Goodbye my friend,
Will I ever love again?
As I've already mentioned he loved to tell his anecdotes.
He also once sat me down and told me that in a hundred years time no-one would remember any of us, he was right. But they can still be reminded of us.
I would like to leave an open invitation to everyone who knew him to leave an anecdote of their own. Any fond memory of a big hearted man, born on Skipton Circus in December 1942, and died on Skipton Circus in May 2010.
It’s difficult to think of a single great memory of Uncle Walt, not because there weren’t any, but because there were thousands. There are some people who are weaved into the very fabric of your being, and he was very much the thread that has helped to make up my life, both as a child and as an adult. My earliest memory is of him talking me into having my hair cut and I remember him telling me that it was going to be ok because I was going to live with him instead of in the Salvation Army Hostel. I remember him sitting up all night with me when grandma died because I was scared and carrying me down Greenwood Hill because I had broken my leg (and laughing at me the next day when he told me to stand on it) As a child he wiped my tears, and as an adult he made me laugh, hard. He got me doing stupid things and he got me through the last forty odd years. Once he even got me a black eye.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my life, both as an adult and as a child, there were two things that I always knew when I was with Uncle Walt, I was always safe and I was always loved. Whatever else happened, good or bad, he was always there with me. When my own children came along he extended this to them as well and they love him deeply because of it. When I look in the mirror I know that the person I am today and whatever I have achieved is because of the love and security he gave me. I used to joke with him that he couldn’t die because if he did no one else would ever ring me up. When he rang me and there was no one in he would always leave the same message. “Uncle Walt”. Two words and that was it, because he never needed to say anything else. To me, those two words say everything. Writing this (tears streaming) I’ve been trying to think of a memory that would do him justice. I don’t think I can, but I’ll try.
I remember we once came back from the pub in the early hours of the morning. Instead of going in the house we went into his back garden and lay down on the grass. (This was before Aunty Val had turned it into Kew Gardens) It was a clear night and we could see hundreds and hundreds of stars. We lay there talking about life and the universe and how looking at the stars made you feel small and insignificant. His response was “hey, not me, I’m great”. Thing is he was right, he was bigger than the stars.
Someone once told me that we can only measure our worth by the people that love us. I hope that this is true, He loved life more than any ten other people I’ve ever met but he loved his family more and those of us he loved are truly lucky people because we were loved by a man that was bigger than the stars. Uncle Walt.
Brian
Facebook post Tuesday 11th May
ReplyDeleteLes where would I start there are just so many memories. From us all growing up together to nights in the pub. Family weddings and get togethers at grandmas and grandads though maybe not all for the right reasons lol laughs and tears we've shared them all. But one things for sure no one will ever be able to replace my Uncle Walter he's one in a million and your right we will see him again. Love Jackie xxx
Facebook post Tuesday 11th May
ReplyDeleteThe thing I will remember my wonderful brother Walter for is when he first went in the army and was posted in Germany. When he came home he had brought me a silver bracelet with German coin charms. "I have brought you this with my first wage packet - dont loose it or else!!" Yes I still have it to this day but I did say I would have preferred a doll!!
Facebook post Thursday 13th May
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was little un we always went to Butlins to see Uncle Walter and Sammy would of been about 2 or 3 bless her and he always took us down on the beach for a ride on the donkeys and I always got a teddy he had won for us, we had loads of fun xxxxx
Facebook post Tuesday 11th May
ReplyDeleteAlways remember growing up must been about 10year old just before xmas remember uncle walter comin up to ma moms with pork pies must have been the biggest pork pies i'd ever seen from a guy he knew in the pub lol dont really know why i remember that so well tho RIP uncle walter gone but never forgotten
After attending Grandads funeral and seeing the number of people squeeze into the chapel and actually having quite a few listening in from outside the doors, I actually remember how well known Grandad was and recall a time when I wasa lot younger say about 8 or 9. I remember walking through town with grandad and the number of people that would say hello to him in passing on the street. Grandad was so well known and for all the right reasons, this one particular time I remember an older woman struggling to get out of a taxi, as I remember grandad strolled over held the door open and helped her out and I remember her reply being 'Thanks Wally' he stood there and chatted a minute longer and then we were back on our way again. I asked him did you know that woman to which his reply ' Do I heck' To which i thought well she certainly knew him unless I had missed him tell her his name lol. But it was at that point I realised that Grandad was a Gentleman and for it was loved by many. Which leaves only 3 words in my mind to sum him up completely 'what a guy'
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