Tuesday 14th May 2024
The funeral service (a celebration of life) for Graham Tazewell (11th October 1944 – 21st April 2024) was held at the West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington, on Tuesday 14th May 2024, at 2.00 pm.
As the coffin was carried into the Crematorium, a recording of Nimrod by Edward Elgar, by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, was played.
The Reverend John Darling gave a short introduction to the mourners, who numbered about 70, which was followed by an opening prayer.
The hymn Jerusalem (music by Sir Hubert Parry, words by William Blake) was sung.
Graham’s son, Matt, then read the following tribute:
“Everyone gathered here this afternoon knew my father in some way, but I wanted to take a small bit of time to reflect on our experiences and a bit about who he was to us.”
“Graham Tazewell was born in Street, Somerset, on 11 October 1944, growing up there with his father Robert, mother Hilda and brother Peter. He married Patricia McHugh on the 1st September 1969 and had two wonderful children in 1973 and 1975. Dad spent the majority of our childhood working as a workshop engineer at ALH in Westbury and ferrying me to various sporting fixtures.”
“My early recollections are of spending lots of time outside, from the impressive treehouse he built at the bottom of our garden, equipped with a wired-in communication system back to the house, where I am sure we spent too much time asking for drinks and snacks, to walking around the fields and woods around Warminster with me pretending to be a soldier, I’m embarrassed to say.”
“On one occasion we had walked to Battlesbury Firing Range, on the edge of the Salisbury Plain danger area. I assume I must have been about five or six, because on this specific day we waited for a soldier who was running round a track that over-looked the range to be out of sight, before Dad picked me up and placed me over the fence and we ran the 60 or 70 metres for him to lower me into a covered slit trench, where we both proceeded to pick up the brass shell cases that the last training unit had obviously failed to clear. The reason I can recall this event was I was too short to be able to get myself out of the trench, and Dad left with some of the spent cases to hide back across the fence and then a few minutes, to be honest I remember it feeling an age, later ran back to help left me out of the trench and make our escape, the treasure clinking in our pockets.”
A foundational part of mine and Laura’s childhood was our regular summer holidays in North Wales. The cottage had an amazing flagstone floor, massively thick walls, an open fire, no television, and water that was piped in from a well in the garden. From 1979 we spent every summer travelling the four to five hours to the cottage, walking the hills, coastline and pathways, visiting castles, eating fish and chips and buying rock in Barmouth. Dad sometimes helped around the farm if Mrs. Griffiths, affectionately known as ‘Mrs. G.’ had any jobs which he could help with, and just generally having fun, a tradition which carries on to this day.”
“Dad’s talent as an engineer and for making things was highlighted one year when he came equipped with about 20 handmade wooden boomerangs, all shaped by him to slightly different angles and forms. Unsurprisingly some disappeared into the bracken, others completed a glorious loop returning to the thrower, to the bewilderment of the hundreds of Welsh sheep grazing in the fields.”
“Even in some of the later stages of Dad’s illness he would still recount snippets from stories of those times, of Mrs. G. and his time in North Wales, showing us how happy he was there, and the amazing times we all spent there. It was here that Dad thrived in his passions for walking, the outdoors, for his family and meeting people.”
“Dad’s engineering skills also came in useful when Laura came back from school saying that she wasn’t able to score at netball because the hoops were all bent – Dad stepped in to make some replacement hoops and headed to school the following weekend to install them.”
“His and Mum’s DIY skills came into their own when Laura bought her house in Godalming, which needed a fair amount of work; they’d go and visit and be set to work either with some DIY or babysitting duties.”
“Dad had many interests, whether it was rugby and following the ups and down of Bath, to motorbikes, a love and aptitude for photography, antiques, or his engineering prowess. On antiques, this spanned a great deal of things, as Dad was one of those rare people who could take a trip to the recycling centre, or the dump as we affectionately called it, and come home with more stuff than he had taken.”
“All of these interests were followed with the same passion, sense of fun and enjoyment.”
“He loved his grandchildren and gained a huge amount of joy from spending time with them, particularly the times which gave him the opportunity to clown around.”
“With Mum, it was clear that Dad was so amazingly happy. Her devotion in caring for him and going above and beyond to ensure he remained loved and cared for is a reflection of this. Laura and I wanted to ensure we acknowledged what Mum has done in the past few years to look after Dad. We are proud and respect her even more for all she has done. I also want to publicly thank the wonderful team at Longbridge Deverill Nursing Home who again have been humbling in their care, patience and support. Thank you.”
“Mum and our family have had some wonderful cards and messages this past fortnight and I have taken the time to reflect on what others have said and thought about my Dad. Without exception the key message has been he was a lovely man. And he was. Closely followed by he was funny and a bit of a joker. That is certainly what we think and how we will remember him.”
“He was a character, he liked people and he always wanted to engage and have a laugh, whether you were a close friend or relative, or a person sat on a checkout in a supermarket, he would have a quip or something to say to make you laugh and start a conversation.”
“We will all remember Graham, Dad, Grampy, as fun, engaging, caring and supportive; always ready to be helpful or offer advice and someone who thrived in engaging with people, leaving a positive impression wherever he went. We are very privileged to have had his love and laughter throughout our lives. He will be sorely missed but we all have many treasured memories of him and our times together.”
There was then a ‘Time of Reflection’ when a slide show of pictures of Graham, including some with his wife Pat, and children Matt and Laura, was shown. The musical accompaniment to the slide show was Father and Son, recorded by Cat Stevens.
The Rev. Darling gave a prayer of thanksgiving for Graham’s Life, after which The Lord’s Prayer was spoken by the mourners, preceding the Committal and the Blessing.
As those present exited the Crematorium, a recording of Days by Kirstie McCall was played.
There was a collection in memory of Graham, to be shared between Alzheimers Support, Warminster; and Longbridge Deverill Nursing Home.
Graham’s widow Pat and children Matthew and Laura invited family and friends afterwards to the Warminster Conservative Club, 1 Prestbury Drive, Warminster, BA12 9LB, for refreshments and to share memories of Graham.
The funeral arrangements were ably carried out by Iles & Vincent Funeral Services Ltd., 14 The Cornmarket, Warminster, BA12 9BX. Telephone 01985 220161. www.ilesandvincentfuneralservices.co.uk