Eulogy of Clifford Roy Cuthbert
I would like to thank Ian for detailing my father, Roy Cuthbert’s milestones and achievements. I now would like to add a little bit of colour to just a few of the things you may or may not know about him.
For the time at least that I knew Dad, he worked as a Sales Rep for Ashley. This was a job he enjoyed, in particular I think due to the relationship he was able to make with his customers. On his retirement, he was one of the most respected reps on the road for Ashley, having given a presentation at the company conference on how he worked with his customers. He commanded a high level of respect, to the extent that when he visited many of his customers, he was trusted to assess their stock, and tell them what they needed to order, instead of the other way around. His relationship with his customers was so friendly in fact, that I recall one occasion when I was around 10 when his then boss, Charles Dick, paid a visit. I told him that dad hadn’t been to work today, he just drove around to see his friends ….. dad had a few words for me afterwards!
Holidays and weekends were important for me, as that was when I was able to spend time with him. I recall one occasion when he lived in Oswestry, he borrowed a canal boat from one of his local customers. His leg was in a full plaster from a rugby injury so couldn’t drive his car. Now, on canals there are lift bridges, where you grab a rope, and pull the bridge up so you can drive the boat underneath. This particular bridge we came across had a very short rope which meant Dad had to jump up to grab the rope, the bridge raised, dad got a better grip, and then just as quick as it lifted, the bridge lowered again…..with dad still holding onto the rope. In true Michael Crawford style, he finished up dangling around 2 ft off the ground with his fully plastered leg. Eventually we managed to pull him down with no harm done.
Stunts aside, He was a practical man, who taught himself how to build, and constructed the first “upside down-split level” house in Coedpoeth on a hillside overlooking a valley. He was keen to pass on these skills, and had the foresight to teach my Sister Diane some basic DIY skills should she need them in the future, this was at a time when girls simply didn’t do that sort of thing. He also taught her woodwork, and she was able to make a jewellery box for her Nana. He was adamant that when she bought her first car, she had to know how to dismantle the engine and clean the pistons. She still has a toolbox and continues to enjoy drilling holes in walls. She also recalls dad buying her an electronics kit and helping her build an alarm, the same kit being handed down to me years later.
Many years later, my father continued to pass on his legacy of knowledge, by involving me in the restoration of two adjacent houses in Caernarfon, a project which had been started by Moira and her late husband Glynne. I guess I spent around two years, assisted also by Hywel and Delyth, going to Caernarfon every other weekend, gradually refurbishing the houses by taking them back to the masonry; re-wiring; plumbing; and installing new floors and ceilings. I’m reliably informed that even Paul made an exceptional job of gloss painting the pavement beneath the window frames! Personally, I have seldom had the need to pay anyone to work on my house and fitted a new bathroom last week which is a testimony to how much he was able to teach me over those years.
In addition to his practical skills, he was also keen to take on other challenges with vigour, but like all of us, was more proficient at some than others. I recall a trip in the early eighties, with the caravan in tow, to visit Diane in Geneva. We (myself, Dad and Karen) had driven into a town halfway across France and it was lunchtime. Dad found somewhere to park and we walked into a restaurant and sat down. In his best franglais, dad ordered omelettes for everyone by gesticulating with hand motions and repeating the word “oeufs”. Around ten minutes later, the waiter proudly returned with an enormous platter of fried eggs……. Needless to say, we quietly ate the eggs and got back on the road. Little did we know at the time that the French word for omelette is omelette!
Caravanning had been part of my dads life since at least the sixties, but his enjoyment of caravanning really took off when he was able to retire and enjoy caravanning with his wife and soul mate, Moira. Together they enjoyed many happy trips, in particular at rallies, as part of the Safari owners club, where they made some great friends, such as Dave and Joyce. Sadly, Dave is also no longer with us.
Barbeques were also one of my dads favourites, and he delighted on showing his culinary prowess over the coals. He enjoyed them so much, Delyth has fond memories of him persevering against the elements with a barbeque in Caernarfon during a rainstorm.
When it came to sports, he had taken part in boxing, squash and badminton; however, rugby was by far his favourite pastime. Whilst on his National Service as a RADAR technician at Bexhill, he quickly discovered that if he played rugby he would be excused from some of the more menial tasks, he quickly got himself into the local RAF team! His love of Rugby continued back in Wrexham where he continued to play and referee well into his forties with the Wrexham Vets, along with others who should have known better at that age, such as his good friend Les Skeets, who would later become his best man when he married Moira.
One fundamental part of his life for as long as I remember was the RAFA club, where he was always heavily involved. He was one of the Standard Bearers and my earliest memory of my dad was him polishing his shoes and getting ready to go out to a parade in 1973/74. As well as standard bearer, he was also branch chairman and secretary along with attaining a the role of Chairman of Wales Area Council and later becoming a lifetime President. He was a strong supporter of the RAFA Wings appeal and involved myself, Diane and Karen in rattling collection tins.
My fathers boundless enthusiasm for the Royal Air Forces Association was recognised by her majesty the queen when he was awarded the MBE for outstanding service to the Royal Air Forces Association in Wales. He received his award on 27th October 1997 at Buckingham Palace supported by Moira, Delyth and Diane.
Ballroom dancing was another one of my dad’s pleasures, which he enjoyed with Moira at regular dance nights at the RAFA club, and at the various conferences they attended together.
As a father, he was always there to help. He never pushed himself into our lives, but we all knew we could count on him if we needed him and he was only ever a phone call away. When he visited Karen and Delyth in their early years of house ownership, he would always turn up with a toolbag….just in case!
Having been a sales rep for many years, he was often at his most relaxed when behind the wheel, and towards his twilight years, enjoyed trips out in the car and critiquing both Delyth’s and his son in law Paul’s driving.
His sense of humour was one of his endearing strengths and he would often copy peoples accents whilst speaking to them on the phone. Even with the early onset of Alzheimers, he would muster up a joke about his fading memory, by turning to Moira and with a glint in his eye retorting “who are you then?”. He also had a truly unique laugh, which you would be guaranteed to hear whenever Tom and Jerry came onto the screen.
My Father, Clifford Roy Cuthbert was a great man. He was a good husband to Moira, He was always there to help if we needed him, He encouraged and helped all of us (Diane, Karen, Delyth, Hywel and myself) to achieve our goals, and will continue to do so as we get older.
Rest in peace Dad, now you can be yourself again……..