IN MEMORIAM

 

PAST PRESIDENT ALBERT HOLMES PHF

 

Albert was the senior member at Stone when he passed to higher service on 13th May 2006, aged 92, after exactly 47 years of membership. He was an éminence grise, not only in Rotary but in the town of Stone, where he was a character who was widely known and well respected.

 

He was the Surveyor of the former Stone RDC and he was organist at Tittensor Church for many years. Stories about Albert are legendary, and too many to start to mention, except for perhaps one. He was of small physical stature – about 5 feet tall and eight stone and served as a paratrooper in Italy in the war. On one occasion he landed some miles from the rest of his troop in northern Yogoslavia as it then was and found himself with Popski’s Private Army, for a week or two. Popski was a thug of Central European origin who hated the Nazis, and formed his own group of irregulars to fight on our side! We always insisted that he was not heavy enough to respond to gravity. How we miss his presence and occasional loud comments.

  

PAST PRESIDENT DAVID THORNTON PHF

 

David left us suddenly on 29th April to leave a void in our Club, District 1210 and in Stone society which we shall struggle to fill. Although he had lived and worked here for many years, David was a Yorkshireman through and through. He loved cricket, railways, compiling quizzes, rugby, and a host of other things, but perhaps his greatest love was scouting and the service of young people.

 

He had become a character in Stone Club, who had a robust humour to withstand the jibes thrown at men from Yorkshire having deep pockets and short arms. But most of all we miss his indefatigable Rotary service in the area of Foundation, and International. We, and many others, shall not forget

 

 

MARGARET WOODS

 

It is with great sadness that we record the passing of Margaret Woods on Monday 1st January 2007, after a long illness.

 

Our thoughts are with Alan, their two sons, Geoff and Johnny and their respective families at this sad time.

 

RITA LOCKLEY

 

It with sadness that we record the passing of Rita Lockley on Friday 2nd March 2007.  Rita was the wife of PP (1977/8) Frank Lockley and of course the mother of our current member and PP (1994/5) John Lockley.
Our thoughts are with John and Jane, Jane and Ian, and their respective families at this sad time.

 

Last update 13 Mar 07