Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Today is a sad day and even more so because I cannot be there to put my father to rest. However, both me and Dad knew this day would have hurdles we would have to cross when the day come. I would like to pass on my condolences to Yvonne and all the Family and that we are all in thought together. So, I would like to speak about our dad a little, as he achieved so much in his life.
My Dad came to England in the early 1960, his sister Leanna was already living here. The government at the time had sent a request out to all commonwealth countries come to the UK and help rebuild it after the 2nd world war. Dad came and lived with Sister Lenna at first. Dad found himself in a career working in a foundry making plane parts for Rolls Royce and in later years he had become the quality control inspector. When he retired from work, he was presented with a gold watch and his boss told him that he would be hard to replace. Dad met my mom (Sandra), a divorced lady with a young son (Craig). They fell in Love and Dad took Craig on as his own Son. They went on to have 3 more children Melanie, Lee, and Robert.
As a child growing up along with my mom, they provided clothes on our backs, shoes on our feet, the bills were paid and plenty of food on the table. And we were educated. In later years Mom and Dad went their own ways. Dad later met Pearl and remarried. Sadly, Pearl passed away some years later. Dad loved music and stared to D.J with a twin deck player, all the flashing lights came with his shows. He was gutted when Elvis passed. He loved to follow horse racing, and his favourite tipple was a pint of Guinness and a Brandy chaser. If ever I ask him how many brothers and sisters he had, he would just reply (A LOT) He went on to make a big family of his own: Craig, Melanie, Lee, Robert, Steven, Rebeckah, Rachel, James, Elizabeth, Thomas, Sam, Milly, Glen, Sarah, Johann and Carol. Me and Dad spoke often on the phone, which was nice, a real special time I will forever miss........ He often spoke about his brothers and sisters: Joe, Bevon and Vinnie, Sister Lenna and Jannat with fondness. And I would always ask how is our Wayne, and Dad once said, he is the glue to this family, he keeps us all together. X Dad loved to garden, and he would always update me on his garden, he loved to grow food. Special times I am going to really miss.
As you know, later in life he met Yvonne and decided to take the big leap and move too America. Can I read the gospel? St John (3:1-2): We shall see him as he really is. Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called Gods children, and that is what we are. Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us. My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed, all we know is, that when it is revealed, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. The Word of the Lord.
A POEM GODS GARDEN God looked around his garden, and he found an empty place
And then he looked down upon the earth and saw your tired face
He put his arms around you, and lifted you to rest
Gods garden must be beautiful, he only likes the best
He knew that you were suffering, he knew you were in pain
he knew that you would never get well again
He saw the road was getting rough, and the hills were hard to climb
So, he closed your weary eyelids, and whispered "PEACE BE THINE"
It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone
For part of us went with you, THE DAY GOD CALLED YOU HOME
Lexford Shaw 23 March 1944 GOD BLESS YOU DAD, WE LOVE AND ALWAYS WILL MISS YOU.
