The obituary notice of Albert Ernest (BERT) CHAPMAN

Hopefully this won't double up as I thought I had done this previously. I didn't see a great deal of Uncle Albert and Auntie Marj after my parents 'ran away to Australia' when I was only young. However, on our few trips back to the Old Country Bert and Marj were always very welcoming and really made us feel that we had never left and were really part of the ongoing Chapman family. A life well led!

My dear Uncle Bert’s family home in Coldred was my all-time favourite place to visit when I was a kid. He was always so warm and friendly, and loved teasing me with a twinkle in his eye, puffing on his pipe and laughing merrily. When I was about 16, I ran away from my London home foolishly after a typical teenage argument with my parents (Bert was of course married to my Dad’s sister Marjorie). I headed on down to Dover with no money and even less brains. Bert was very kind and helpful, making sure I was back home inside a week. For the next 40 years or so, Bert would remind me of my daft adventures with the same old twinkle in his eye and the same merry laugh. You might say it became a “thing”. I wish I could have seen more of him but I moved to Vancouver Island. I’ll miss him very much and will always remember his sense of humour, and his kindness and warmth. He was a wonderful and genuine man who leaves so many friends and family who will always miss him. God bless you, Bert. Rest in peace.

A generous and kind neighbour who will be sadly missed by Ken, Carole and Milo

Uncle Bert was a wonderful character and will be much missed. With love from the Haynes-Holland tribe, Jane and Steve, Katie, Becki, Dylan, Morris and Indigo. xxx