Eulogy for Eric. Written by his daughter Pamela and read at his funeral.
Eric was born on 31st July 1927 in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, a redhead, the first child of Herbert (always known as Nav) and Veronica and from all accounts he had a happy and carefree childhood - climbing trees, making cubbies in Acky’s Warren, getting into scrapes and generally being a lad.
He was always a protective older brother to Brenda and Don and they all attended the Doncaster Road School. He left there on his 14th birthday with a good reference and a job waiting for him in the warehouse of the co-op pharmacy.
After only a few months he started work at the Appleby Frodingham Steel Works as a junior clerk, his first job was to deliver the internal mail and he would stop always stop in at each department and learn about what they were doing. In 1943 he began an apprenticeship as a plater there at the steel works.
In November 1945, at the age of 18, he left to do his National Service and joined the 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment. It was here that he first showed his true colours as a leader rising to become one of the youngest sergeants in the regiment.
In the aftermath of the war he was stationed in France guarding trains containg returning POWs and the Italy where he was involved with guarding German war criminals at the war courts.
He returned to Scunthorpe to complete his apprenticeship in May 1948 remaining at the steelworks and rising to the position of foreman before leaving in 1966 to bring the family to Perth.
He was introduced to Evelyn, the love of his life, at the Doncaster Road corner, not long after returning from his National Service and they married on March 10th 1951 in a double wedding with Evelyn’s twin sister Aleen and her husband Jack.
The young couple bought a brand new home in Baysdale Road, Ashby and it wasn’t long before they were blessed with the arrival of their little girl Pamela in 1953, the apple of her dad’s eye. Four years later Garry arrived to complete their family unit.
The family always made the most of every opportunity for enjoyment and fun, joining Evelyn’s sister and her family for Christmases and summer holidays. Most summers Eric would bundle Evelyn, Pamela and Garry into the car and, come rain or shine, ensure that they had a wonderful summer holiday. Sometimes they only went an hour away to Cleethorpes or Skegness but several years saw them make the long trek to the south coast of England to stay in the iconic small hotels along the seafront in Bournemouth or Paignton.
In 1963 Eric and the family moved to another new home in Yaddlethorpe and it was there a couple of years later that he made the decision to move his young family thousands of miles across the world for a better life. Eric and Evelyn never regretted that decision and when asked recently why he made the move he said that it was because he knew there was some place better to bring up a family than a grey steelworks town.
Within 2 days of arriving in Perth in September 1966, Eric had found work and settled his family into a new way of living. He adapted amazingly well to his new life, taking to the outdoor lifestyle with enthusiasm and energy - camping, fishing, prawning and crabbing as often as he could.
With Evelyn he bought a new home in Morley where he loved creating a lush garden, always with lots of colour, he added a patio, then an aviary and eventually built a swimming pool, doing much of the work himself.
Over the next few years most of the family followed him to Perth including his parents and his sister Brenda with her family. Eric and Evelyn made a few close friends and began the infamous camping trips on long weekends, they spent as much time as possible out doing things that they’d never been able to do before.
Grandchildren began to arrive - all girls, 2 redheads, like himself and 2 blondes, and he absolutely doted on those girls. He was always extremely proud of everything they did in life and to the end he loved to hear about everything they were doing and where they were going. He would always welcome their friends, the school friends, the boyfriends that came and went and those that became permanent members of the family. Those friends have very fond memories of him and of Evelyn from many years ago.
There was a glitch though mid-way through this long and happy life. At the age of 49 Eric contracted stomach cancer, the doctors weren’t hopeful, it was rare to overcome this form of the disease, but Eric had no intention of giving in to it. After having a major operation to remove part of his stomach and part of his oesophagus, Eric grabbed on to the life he loved and pulled through to rejoin his family and outlive many of his contemporaries, making it to a fabulous 90 years young.
Eric returned to work for a few years and then retired at the age of 60 to spend the next 20 years thoroughly enjoying life with Evelyn. They moved to Mandurah, went fishing, crabbing and prawning alongside Aleen and her husband Jack. They travelled interstate and overseas, visiting Garry and his family in Sri Lanka and Pam and her family in England for extended holidays. They eventually moved back to Perth in 1999, to the northern suburbs, to once again be closer to family.
Sadly, Evelyn passed away in September 2006 leaving a huge hole in his life and his heart. They had been married for 56 years and were still as in much in love then as they were when they married.
Eric continued to live in their home in Kinross, he still travelled occasionally, taking a cruise to Singapore and a trip to Melbourne with Pamela and visiting Garry and his family in the south of the state. He lived a quiet life, reading extensively for as long as he could, going out for coffee or a pint at his favourite pub and taking an interest in current affairs.
The family were his lifeline, his love, he would attend every football match that his great grandson played in, every dance concert, every graduation, every family occasion. He would travel to Melbourne for a visit when a granddaughter and great granddaughter moved there and he wouldn’t miss out on anyone’s birthday. He was thrilled with every young life that was added to the family and his smile was the brightest when he held our latest addition, two year old Bodhi, on his 90th birthday.
He was extremely proud of every member of his family, his children, his granddaughters, his great grandchildren and those that became new members of the family.
Eric was a proud and independent man, loved by everyone who knew him. He continued to drive until 6 months ago. He lived in his own home. He did his own shopping, cooking and looked after himself for as long as he could.
Eric passed away quietly and peacefully on the 28th February at Joondalup hostpital.
He is greatly missed.
