A man of many parts who sprinkled the gold dust of friendship over his many acquaintances, most of whom came celebrate his life at the South Chapel Woodvale Crematorium on Friday 11 November with his family. Those parts were remembered as kindness, generosity, a willingness to help, trustworthy, enthusiastic, dignified, calm, receptive, witty, loving: a gardener, an advisor, a cricketer, a postman, a husband and a teacher who imbued all his friends and family with a corresponding love of justice and equality. You did not want to be thought of badly by Richard. You valued his judgements. You were amazed by the diversity of his interests and wanted to share them. A great reader, he inspired wide-ranging discussions of literature, history, art and music, but grounded and reasonable, his contributions were always considered and apt. All these and many more happy memories of this exemplary member of the community were re-called by written tributes and voiced expressions of sheer delight in the life of this decent, interesting man at the celebration conducted with sincerity by Belinda Chapman, a Light on Life celebrant, and arranged with ARKA Original Funerals. SAV

Paula, his beloved wife, read a tribute which included touching accounts of their life together. Here is an edited extract.
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