Norman Richard Townsend

we said our last goodbyes, his souls been blessed, hes laid to rest. He was more than my farther, my teacher my best friend, i thought he would live forever but the years roll by, and suddenely when it happend there was so much left unsaid, no 2nd chance to tell him i love him and thanks for all hes done for me he made me what i am.xxx

MY DAD


My dad suffered for 6 years with cancer, he fought it all the way, it’s just a shame that the hospital didn’t take more care of him, if they had he might still be with us, what is it with hospitals that they think once you are old that you are not worth bothering about, and just leave you to die in so much pain.


Well what can I say about my dad, I remember as a child him taking me and mark fishing, oh how I hated going fishing, but there was one day that will stick in my mind for ever. Dad drove the car to some remote spot, we could never park close to where the river was, we got out and it had been raining we unloaded the car, me and mark had a basket each, I’m sure he only took us so we could carry the stuff for him, he started to moan he hadn’t put his boots in the car and he was only wearing a pair of slippers, I thought yes we are going home, but no we went fishing.

We got to the spot after trudging through half a dozen fields, with dad saying watch where your going don’t slip, keep up, through fields with cows in them we went, as we walked past others that were fishing you could see them look, and smile, no one said anything, until a fellow fisherman named TEX, came past and said “you alright norm, dad nodded then tex said like the new fashion in footwear Norm, well the bank just erupted into laughter, while dad turned the air blue. He did see the funny side later.

That was something else my dad had, a wicked sense of humour he could laugh at almost anything I have seen him cry at ROAD RUNNER, a quick and witty mind, but the thing I remember him for most was his sarcasm, much of it in the last few years aimed at my mother, there have been many a night we have been talking and he would make some kind of remark and the room would go quite, while he waited for mom to say something, then mom would say “you been sarkey”, he would just look at her with this straight face and say “me no never in the world” how he kept his face straight I will never know


My dad’s real love was wood I’m sure if he could have had the central heating installed in the shed he would have. I remember spending a whole afternoon at the hospital just before he had his first chemo, and for 2 hours he talked about wood. He said it was one of the best afternoons he’d had. Wish I had paid more attention to him now over the years, not that I have this great desire to go out and make a coffee table I will leave that to mark who has followed in dads footsteps, but because I would now be able to name the trees in the wood when I go for a walk, there was nothing he couldn’t tell you about wood.

As I got older I discovered that he was a very compassionate and kind person. I learned that the most important thing that he had was us, his family. Though he may never have said it out loud I know that he was really proud of what we have become. We are who we are now because we had a father like him.

To his friends he was a kind person and was always ready to help. He always had a solution to every problem and had his ways of making things simple. He never asked anybody for help but he was a very generous man, and he never wanted to be acknowledged for anything he did. When he helped he simply helped.

There was never a time that I could not talk to him or that he would not offer advice (whether I asked for it or not) some of you may not have known my father the way that I did, and for those who did not get to see this side of him you missed out on knowing a great man.
I will never forget my dad I will always remember him but I will never understand

Why my dad? For he was my mentor and my best friend. He was so brave and he gave such a fight and showed great strength until the end and for that my dear dad I love you with all my heart

That evening he had left us as I slept I dreamed of him. He called out my name And said here’s what you have to do Say a prayer for me my child And ask the lord if I am sad And he will tell you that I am happy And heaven has just welcomed a dad And say a prayer for yourself And ask the lord to send me a line I promise you this my child The answer will be that I’m fine now.

And in my memory dad that shall always stay God bless you my lovely dad. You were the best dad any daughter could ever have had. I will never forget you dad... Never ever for you will always be locked inside my heart forever.