Our father Bernard was born in Abbey Wood in March 1937 and was Christened in June at St Michaels and all Angles Church Abbey wood.

Bernard grew up attending St Nicholas Church Plumstead and was confirmed when he was 13 years old and then enrolled later as a server.  Bernard had a sister, Elizabeth who was born during the early part of the 2nd world war but sadly died during the war.
When at school he passed an examination as a pre-apprenticeship student at Central School of Arts and crafts, Southampton Row, London where he stared at the age of 13 to learn the craft of printing and then at 16 took a 5-year apprenticeship to become a Master Printer.

Bernard always took an active part in the life of the Church, being a member of the Youth Club and its Treasurer for some time and secretary of the Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary (a union of men from other Churches) when a server, where they would meet once a month at various churches.

For a few years Bernard lived in Hertfordshire before coming back to Abbey wood during that time he meet his future wife Maureen at the Embassy Court Ballroom in Welling, they were later married at St Nicholas church, Abbey wood.

The church published a Newspaper at that time Maureen and Bernard were front page news with the heading “a marriage in the family”. They had a honeymoon in Bournemouth and moved straight in to a house in Welling, where they had 3 children, Andrew Dawn and Tracey.  From this house they both attended the local Church St Michael’s East Wickham where Bernard became a very active member over many years, as a server Treasurer member and in the choir (Bernard never held back when signing a hymn or two!)

When Bernard was in his thirties, he changed his career as he could see that the print industry was changing, like most of us Bernard fell into different career path and he found the job as an insurance agent and rose to become a Financial Advisor.

While working within the financial field Maureen was diagnosed with Cancer which came as a blow to all the family, we all rallied round as a family, however sadly, Maureen passed away in 1994 with the family by her bedside at the Royal Marsden hospital.
Bernard decided that he would retire early after Maureen passed away to help with his aging mother, who sadly passed away a few years later.

This left Bernard able to do the things he had always loved, travelling, he arranged a holiday with Dawn and they both went to Hawaii, this was the start of his many travels around the world to places such as Singapore, New Zealand, China, in fact it would be easier to say the only Country Bernard did not manage to travel to was South America, much to his regret.

Bernard’s other great love was dancing, he regularly attending various dance clubs   Young at Heart, Tuesday Dance club, VCD dance club, in fact he was very rarely at home in between dancing and traveling.

For a few years he decided he would combine his love of dancing with travelling as he become an employee on a cruise ship with Fred Olsen and Saga as a dance Host, he absolutely loved it.

It was about 2002 that he met the other lady of his life besides Maureen and that was Vicky, and they were together for over 10 years before Vicky passed away, Vicky was another great dance partner.

In between his very active life, the family fondly remember the many holidays that Bernard started to arrange with his family, firstly starting as a meal out, a day trip, then a weekend away and finally a one week’s holiday somewhere in the UK, this was all over many years and warmly remembered by the family.

As mentioned, Bernard had three children who all married, and so Carol, Stuart and Andrew joined the family fold, and in turn 5 grandchildren were born Glenn, Luke, Kirsty, Emily and James.

On the occasions that Bernard was at home he would attend many a football side line cheering on his Grandsons Glenn and Luke in their younger days and over the many years Bernard took on the nickname of Groovy Grandad which he was proud to have been given.

Bernard was very fortunate to have become a great grandfather during his life time to Rylan, Jake and Teddy.
So many fond and happy memories will be remembered by all, as we say our goodbyes.