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Those of you who know me and my father personally, will understand when I say that I loved him it would be an understatement - and to say I’m going to miss him doesn't begin to express the loss. He was my world.

For over 20yrs it was just me and him. He was both father and mother to me. He made sacrifices to ensure I had everything I needed and a few things I wanted. I am the woman I am today because of him. 

I have so many memories, from the mundane to the bigger events. 

My Dad could cook clean and sew, he always said that his mother taught him how to look after himself, so he didn't have to rely on anyone to look after him. But when it came to cooking, he didn't think about timings so you would get something hot, something warm, something cold, but they were all supposed to be hot! I know Lee would have her own stories about my Dad's cooking skills. 

Then there's the tender time when I broke my collar bone, I must have been about 8yrs old, my Dad had always told me not to cycle down a particular slope because of the bench at the bottom, Well this particular day I thought I knew best, I came down the slope and crashed into the bench. I knocked myself out cold, my panicked friends went to get my dad who came running out the house. When I came round the first thing I saw was my Dad stood over me still holding the utensils he was washing up at the time, suds up his arms and me trying to pretend I wasn't hurt too badly. 

Then they’re the special times, like my wedding day. He was so proud to walk me down the aisle and to give his speech. Dad never said out loud to me how truly proud he was of me until that day. As you might know he was never a man of many words, he liked to express his love through his actions. Again, these actions ranged from small everyday ones, to when he'd make surprise visits to Hampshire to see me. This sounds small, but was a big deal because he didn't like leaving Derby. I would often say to him how did you manage to leave Jamaica, when you don’t want leave your house.

Well at the age of 22 after nursing his mother through illness he moved from St. Thomas Jamiaca to England, arriving in Southampton on Friday 4th August 1961 @ 11:00 am and settled in Derby.

He lived with family, but along the way he met a few of you here today, including Pastor Arscott who he lived with for a short time. 

He was a car mechanic in Jamaica, so when he came to England, he put himself through college, gained an apprenticeship, passed exams, eventually retiring from Rolls Royce as a precision engineer, a role where he even helped to build components for the Space Shuttle.

Dad worked hard to get where he was, he was resilient, generous and reserved. He was someone to look up to, follow, admire and to learn from. 

Because it was just me and my Dad for years, the Lord placed so many good caring people in our path. From Sister Hayden and her family, my childminder, who treated me like a daughter to Lee Lewis who came into my Dad's life - and what a blessing that has been. 

I remember him talking to me about this person he'd meet, and he wanted me to meet her too. He always spoke so fondly of her and when I met her, I could see they were great together. For years they have been happy and committed to each other. 

Meeting Lee was to change his life , he was certainly unrecognisable from the person I grew up with.

No-one could have cared for him with the love and tenderness that she showed both before and throughout his illness.

I think It's the small things that I'll miss the most. Not being able to share moments or seek advice or when he'd impart abstract facts to me, or for him to see his grandchildren grow into adulthood and to hear him call my name.

But when I look at my children I can see traits of Dad in them. In Jack it's the look he has when concentrating on something, in Jasmine it's her stubborn determination. 

Dad has gone, but will never be forgotten because he lives in me my siblings and his 3 grandchildren. 

I would just like to end with: Psalm 23 vs 6 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever

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