A private funeral service was held at West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington, on Tuesday 24th December 2024, at 11.00 a.m., in loving memory of Reginald Tudgay (22nd April 1943 – 6th December 2024).
The ‘Music in’ was Nimrod from the Enigma Variations recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Reverend Lorraine Dobbins in her Welcome said:
“We meet in the name of Jesus Christ, who died and was raised to the glory of God the Father. Grace and mercy be with you.”
Opening Prayer:
God of all consolation, Your son Jesus Christ was moved to tears at the grave of Lazarus his friend. Look with compassion on your children in their loss; give to troubled hearts the light of hope and strengthen in us the gift of faith, in Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Hymn:
Fight The Good Fight.
Bible Reading:
John, Chapter 20: verses 11 – 17.
Rmembering Reg:
Reg was born on the 22nd of April 1943 to Nellie and Reg Tudgay. Growing up alongside his brother Henry at Obelisk Terrace in Warminster. When he first started school he went to the Minster School until the family moved home to Woodcock Terrace where he attended the New Close School.
Reg was a bright boy and after passing his 11 Plus became a pupil at Trowbridge Boys High School. He didn’t like football and would deliberately forget his boots. Sadly his dad passed away when he was just 12 years old.
He was a rocker as a young man and went to see the Rolling Stones at Longleat. He always looked smart in a collar and tie.
He first asked Yvonne out in 1964 as she was cycling back to work, when he pulled up in front of her. Yvonne remembers the day vividly, it was a Thursday and Reg was driving a little yellow van, when he asked her if she would like to go out. Yvonne had already made plans to go to the cinema so had to say no, she thought that might be it. However, Reg wasn’t going to give up and was there when she came out of the cinema, following her home. The two of them have been together for over 60 years.
This year it was the 59th anniversary of their engagement, something they always celebrated together. Yvonne remembers them going to Salisbury to choose the ring. The one she liked was a little expensive, but that didn’t stop Reg making sure she had it. He always wanted her to have the very best.
The two were married at St. John’s Church, Warminster, on the 18th of March 1967 and began their married life together at Prestbury Drive until moving to Poulsen Close in 1974. Reg loved the view over Smallbrook especially when the cows came to the fence.
Reg’s hobby his whole life was steam railways and railway modelling. Even the night before he was taken ill he was in the lounge working on bits for his layout. He was club secretary of Warminster Model Railway Club and helped organise their Annual Exhibition Show for many years. On his 60th birthday he had the joy of driving one of the steam locomotives at Swanage.
He also enjoyed astronomy and the space missions. Reg and Yvonne saw the shuttle take off from NASA in 1989. The roar from the engines as it took off was deafening and they could feel the ground shaking all around them. He enjoyed that!
He had a motorbike when he was 17 or 18 and always enjoyed watching motorbike racing and the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy). In 1990 he bought an old classic bike, a Royal Enfield Crusader Sports, and spent a couple of years rebuilding it and used it to go to on classic bike rides.
Reg also had a love of gardening, especially growing tomatoes in his greenhouse. He was forever keeping busy, always bashing and crashing around working on something or other. This never changed; he even purchased a chain saw recently.
Reg also spent hours researching his family history which was another great interest of his, tracing back the ancestors of both sides of his family and also Yvonne’s.
Reg was a man with lots of interests alongside a deep commitment to his working life. He started work in a local builder’s office, going to college on day-release and worked his way up, taking exams and gaining qualifications. In his later life he worked as a professional quantity surveyor until he retired in 2008.
Reg was a loving family man, a wonderful dad to his daughters Samantha and Natasha. He was the best, always supportive, offering advice when needed. He was extremely practical and would show his love to them in lots of practical ways, if anything was broken they knew their Dad would fix it; he fixed everything from sheds to jewellery. Hence his nickname “Grampy mender”.
There were some great family memories made with just the four of them, especially caravan holidays. The family would enjoy attending Caravan Club weekend rallies and holidays in Cornwall at Goldsithney Three Ways campsite. Days out would be enjoyed whilst on holiday to Marazion, Mousehole, St. Ives, Penzance and the Lizard Peninsula – Cadgwith was his favourite.
He was always there for his daughters. When Samantha was going through a difficult time, he was there, taking care of her and looking after everything. He was a wonderful grandfather to Kieran and Mia and had a lovely relationship with his son-in-law David.
He was always kind and loved a good laugh. He was always a calm, positive, reliable man. Always willing to help his family and friends. His sense of humour never waned, even recently when he was very ill at Southampton Hospital he would still try to make the family smile.
Reg will be greatly missed; well loved by those who knew him – people would say that once seen he was never forgotten. A man who loved well and knew how much he was loved and passed away just a few weeks ago with Yvonne, Samantha, Natasha and David by his side.
Prayers:
God of Mercy, Lord of Life, you have made us in your image to reflect your truth and light; we give you thanks for Reg, for all that was good in his life, for the steadfast love he had for Yvonne, for his loving supportive parenting of Samantha and Natasha, for the joy his grandchildren Kieran and Mia brought to him and for the many precious memories treasured today. Amen.
Your mighty power brings joy out of grief and life out of death. Look in mercy on Yvonne, Samantha, Natasha, David, Kieran, Mia, all who mourn Reg’s passing. Give them patient faith in times of darkness and strengthen them with the knowledge of your love. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer.
Hymn:
Great is Thy faithfulness.
Commendation:
Let us commend Reg to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer.
God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glory. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, we entrust Reg to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great goodness. As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that fear him. For he knows of what we are made; he remembers that we are but dust. Our days are like the grass; We flourish like a flower in the field; when the wind goes over it, it is gone and its place will know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever and ever toward those that fear him and his righteousness upon their children’s children.
Committal:
We have entrusted our brother Reg to God’s mercy, and we now commit his body to be cremated: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust: in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our frail bodies that they may be conformed to his glorious body, who died, was buried, and rose again for us. To him be glory for ever. Amen.
Blessing:
May God give you his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
‘Music Out’
In The Garden, Elvis Presley.
Yvonne and family would like to take the opportunity to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to all who attended the service, for your kind messages of sympathy and for the part you have played in Reginald’s life.
Donations in memory of Reginald will be going to the work of Southampton Hospitals Charity (specifically going to the work of the Cardiac Care Unit and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit). Cheques made payable to this charity, if desired, may be sent c/o Iles & Vincent Funeral Services, 14 The Cornmarket, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 9BX. Telephone 01985 220161.
Reg’s ashes were interred in the north part of the churchyard at Christ Church, Warminster.
