John Stoneman

Just a quick note about a wonderful friend and colleague who sadly passed away on Monday 11 October 2004. He had been battling with cancer of the bowel and liver and unfortunately it won.

John died at home, his wife Joan was with him all the time. He started to deteriorate around 8:30 pm on the Sunday, and passed away at 1:35am on the Monday.

Although expected, you never really know how the death of a friend will hit you, so far the phases have been shock, anger (so unfair, not that anyone deserves such a horrid disease - but why the 'good ones'??), sadness .... and now lots of nostalgic thoughts of what he used to do, what he used to say, what he was like as a person - in short, he was simply great!

John's funeral will take place on Tuesday 19th October - I think his wife will be surprised at how popular he was amongst his colleagues over the past 35 years here.

John had requested that any donations made should go to St Wilfrid's Hospice, where he and Joan were made so welcome in the past few weeks.