Obituaries for January 22 2014.

Haverfordwest

Maurice Noel Reed or Noel as he was known to most passed away on December 1 at his home in Snowdrop Close, Haverfordwest.

He was born Hobart, Tasmania in 1923 and spent the first 28 years of his life on the Derwent River growing into a true Aussie. He spent his childhood fishing, sailing, playing cricket and Aussie Rules Football, making a golf course with his mates, dancing and anything active and outdoors.

During the Second World War he was considered essential personnel as he was in the food industry so was unable to join up. He served his time with his father in Dad’s Army when, following a sighting of a Japanese submarine, they were asked to repel invasion with a Boer war rifle and two bullets.

Luckily the submarine was never seen again.

Noel’s diligence and conscientiousness as well as his flare for business meant he highly excelled in his career becoming managing director of the European branch of the Australian company H Jones and Co.

At the age of 28 he boarded a ship to London. As a young man coming from what was a very low populated part of the world to the busy bustling life of London must have been a fairly scary time for him.

In 1957 Noel met Lois married and settled just outside London in Chorleywood.

Noel worked hard and very successfully to provide a very comfortable life for his family. Stewart, Janine and Margot have many memories of Noel as they were growing up, teaching them things he did whilst growing up in Australia including fishing and sailing.

When Noel was looking for a retirement location he and Janine came to Pembrokeshire to look for properties.

The first property they looked at they bought. This was Sandy Hill Cottage. Noel retired around his mid 50s and moved to beautiful Pembrokeshire.

Although he had officially retired he clearly wasn’t able to relax and live the retired lifestyle. Noel renovated the cottage and cultivated the garden, selling market garden produce.

This home became the family get together spot for all occasions. It was also here where his love, Lois passed away in September 1989.

Although this bought great sadness to Noel he was certain that when he met Dorothy this sadness eased. Noel and Dorothy met at a dancing class, both looking for a dancing partner and the dancing never stopped. He welcomed Dorothy, her children and grandchildren into his life and became a loving dad and granddad to their ever growing family, a figure that they could all turn too. Together they lived, loved, laughed, told each other off occasionally, cared for each other as well as travelled together.

They covered the majority of the world which included South Africa, Canada and a honeymoon in Paris. Six months around Australia in a campervan with Dorothy was definitely one of Noel’s highlights. They spent many happy holidays in the cabin down the garden, putting all their weekend bags into the wheelbarrow and not returning to the cottage until Monday.

Noel and Dorothy found their new bungalow in Snowdrop Close.

Whether he was known as Noel, Morris, a husband, dad, grandpa, uncle, father-in-law or a mate, he was known to us all as a great man, an allround gentleman. Throughout his life he was patient, kind, thoughtful, funny, cheeky, always helped anybody in need, never turned anyone away and was always there for his family.

The family left to mourn and principal mourners are Dorothy (wife); Stewart, Janine, Margot (children); Christopher, Julie and Sara (stepchildren); Berian, Rhys, Ella, Grace, Angharad, Gethin, Claire, Ben, Matthew, Mina, Milly, Amber and Edwyn (grandchildren).

The funeral was held at his home and later at Parc Gwyn Crematorium and was officiated by Pastor Adrian Vaughan, with a eulogy given by his grandson Berian and a solo by Miss Daisy Aldridge, one of his carers, who he loved very much.

The bearers were Berian, Rhys, Gethin (grandsons); Christopher and William (stepsons) and John (nephew).

There were family flowers only with donations to the CDU Charity Appeal which may be sent to 12 Victoria Place, Riverside, Haverfordwest SA61 2LP.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Roy Folland and Son, Haverfordwest.

Mrs C Hughes

Pembroke

The death occurred peacefully at Withybush Hospital after a short stay of Mrs Carole Hughes, of St Michaels Road, Pembroke, who passed away on December 7 at the age of 69.

Carole was born, lived and worked in Cardiff. She enjoyed dancing where she met and married Berwyn from the Rhondda Valley. They continued to live in Cardiff for a few years. Unfortunately Carole had to move to Pembroke as Berwyn was an engineer in Pembroke power station. Her son Christopher was born in 1976. For the last ten years of her life Carole had several major medical problems including cancer.

Her strength and resolve kept her going, even going on coach holidays when possible.

She enjoyed cross-stitch sewing, she was a member of the retired employees association for Pembroke power station and she was also a teacher in Sunday school for a short period of time.

She will be sadly missed by her family, friends and neighbours.

The family left to mourn and principal mourners are Berwyn (husband); Christopher (son); Brian (brother); Gloria (sister-in-law); Diane (niece); David (nephew) and Sian (niece); plus Alan, Rita and Lisa.

The service was held at Parc Gwyn Crematorium and also St Michaels Cemetery and was officiated by the Rev Lorette Hinson. The bearers were Graham, Paul, Kevin and Stewart.

There were family flowers only with donations if so desired for Pembrokeshire Cancer Services Fund, Withybush Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support c/o E C Thomas and Son, Funeral Directors, Zoar Chapel Funeral Home, Llanteg SA67 8QH, who also carried out the funeral arrangements.

Mr I Griffiths

Tufton

The death occurred at Withybush General Hospital on December 29 of Ian Griffiths, Tir-Na-Nog, Tufton, at the age of 67.

Ian was the second son born to Llew and Megan Griffiths, Woodstock Cross. Tragically his father Llew was killed in a road accident near Haverfordwest railway station in December 1949 when Ian was only three years old. Ian was educated at Ambleston County Primary School, Woodstock and at Haverfordwest Grammar School.

Ian had three children Jane, Elizabeth and Anthony. Later it was a joy to Ian to have three grandchildren Amy, Charlie and Joe, and very recently a great grandson, Dexter.

Ian commenced his working life as a telephone engineer with Post Office Telephones.

Later he had his own transport business, hauling cattle foodstuffs for Bibby Agriculture and Pembrokeshire new potatoes to fruit and vegetable markets across England and Wales. In 1970 Ian was elected as parish councillor for Ambleston Parish. He later served on Ambleston Community Council and was a serving member on Puncheston Community Council up until the time of his death.

In 1972 Ian became a sales representative for Bibby Agriculture and was widely known throughout the farming community in Pembrokeshire.

In 1977 Ian was one of the founder members of the Ambleston memorial hall committee, which adapted his old primary school at Woodstock into the community hall which has served the district throughout the years. In a similar manner he was one of the leading members of the Ambleston senior citizens committee which was later expanded to the Ambleston and Tufton senior citizens committee, on which he served for over 40 years.

In 1989 Ian married Maisie Flood of Redhills, County Cavan, Ireland, and in 1993 Ian and Maisie moved from Woodstock Cross to live at Tir-na-Nog, Tufton. In 2004 Ian and Maisie established M&I Supplies, a business which sold seeds and other agricultural commodities to farms.

Woodstock C M Church was overflowing for his funeral on January 4 with family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and many of his former customers in attendance.

His Minister Reverend Wiliam T E Owen officiated at the funeral service and was assisted by Reverend Geoffrey Eynon. The organist was Mrs Anita Smith.

The bearers were Anthony Griffiths (son), Jon Smith (son-in-law), Robert Griffiths (nephew) and Matthew Van Dyjk (colleague).

The family left to mourn and principal mourners are Maisie (wife), Jane and Jon (daughter and son-in-law), Elizabeth (daughter), Anthony and Ceri (son and daughter- in-law), Amy and Stephen (granddaughter and partner), Charlie and Joe (grandsons), Dexter (great grandson), John and Margaret (brother and sister-in-law), Mair and Jon (niece and husband) Robert and Lisa (nephew and wife), Barbara Williams (aunt), Marsden and Verona, Ann, Lloyd and Susan, Geraint and Rhinedd, Rhian, Delyth and Arthur (cousins).

Unable to attend the funeral were Stella Griffiths, New Moat (aunt), Heulwen and Percy Jones, New Zealand, and Dilwyn and Elen Griffiths, Australia (cousins).

Interment followed at Woodstock Cemetery. There were family flowers only.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Paul Jenkins and Sons, Feidr Castell, Fishguard.

Mr C J Richards

Pembroke

Mr Cyril James Richards of Charles Road, Pembroke passed away peacefully at Withybush Hospital on November 30. He was the devoted husband of Phyllis of whom he shared 61 years of happy married life. He is also survived by his son Paul and daughter in law Julie and grandchildren Darren, Sophie, Chloe and Jack. He had recently become a great grandfather to Imogen, Rhys, Ollie and Tommy.

Cyril was born near Rhoscrowther in 1925 and went to Pwllcrochan School. He worked at many farms in the surrounding area before becoming a berthing master at the BP oil terminal. He retired in 1985 and during his retirement he took a keen interest in gardening. In 1989 Cyril won the Pembroke Garden in Bloom. He also enjoyed golfing for which he won a number of trophies.

The funeral service was officiated by Canon Roger Jones in St Marys Church, Pembroke, followed by cremation at Parc Gwyn Crematorium.

The bearers were Jack Richards, Roy Richards, Tony Richards, Hugh Richards, Robert Mable and Timothy Mable. There was also a reading by Julie Cooper, a tribute by Darren Richards and a poem reading by Sophie Milkins.

The principle mourners were Phyllis (wife); Paul and Julie (son and daughter-inlaw); Darren, Sophie, Chloe and Jack (grandchildren) as well numerous nephews and nieces.