Firstly, hello! Most of you don’t know me, but I’m Tracey, Steve’s “ex”. Well, I’m his ex in some ways, but, regardless of history, he was still my friend. So maybe “I’m Haydn’s Mum” would be a better start. Anyway, Steve was Haydn’s Dad AND my friend!
I am, above all else, highly privileged to have known Steve as well as I did. For those of you who didn’t have the opportunity to meet him, he was in person exactly as he sounded … honest, clever, funny (ok that might be pushing it with the bad jokes), witty, loving, kind, caring, considerate ….. there are just so many words! The posts that you have all sent have been utterly inspiring. From the long, intimate descriptions of meetings and memories some of you shared, down to the simple “I didn’t know him, but somehow he touched me”, or just “condolences”. Each and every single one of them mean something!
When Julie told me that someone from the Flypast forum had arranged to have all these messages for Steve printed out and bound I was very moved (actually, blubbed like a baby is more accurate). She told me that there were going to be three bound copies of these momentos; one for her (Jules and her kids), one for Pat and John (Steve’s parents) and one for Haydn.
When Julie handed me the …. Books? … Posts? …. Tributes? …Whatever you choose to call them – my first comment was “but I’ve got two here”. That’s because there were two thick bound folders with Steve smiling at us from the covers. When she told me that, in fact, what I held in my arms was just one copy, I realised just how many people he had touched in so many ways. I didn’t know just how important his presence on this planet had been overall until then. I know how important he was to Haydn (obviously), but I didn’t realise how much of a truly astonishing person he was!
He is still able to touch people that have never, and will never, meet him – how many of us can, or will ever be able to say that?!?!?
The posts/books/tributes that you have all contributed to are an absolute treasure, and I’m sure, in the future, Haydn will look at them with the fondness, pride and smiles they deserve.
At the moment, Haydn’s just happy! He’s happy because he believes his Dad is still with him, he’s happy because he’s young, and he’s happy because he got to experience the most wonderful things. He’s happy because that’s the person that Steve made him! He’s just happy!! (He’s also extremely lucky to have had eight wonderful years with his Dad!)
There are so many things that I would like to say to you all. Not least of all THANK YOU, and that Haydn will go flying again some day!
I’ll leave you now before I bore you all to pieces. But just a few final words first. (Yeah, I know, you’ve had enough already!!)
We thought we ought to give Steve a bit of a “happier send-off” in a few months at the Aviator pub in St Ives (the one that he was researching, like you didn’t know that already). The first date that we came across that meant anything universally was 11 November. As you all know, he was an avid poppy appeal supporter and passionate about veterans in general so it seemed pretty fitting.
Please take this as an open invitation for as many of you who wish to – please come along and join in. I will send a post nearer to the time with address / directions / time etc. Hopefully by then, the wounds will be less raw, and we can all have a pint on his behalf with smiles on our faces rather than tears in our eyes.
To every person that took the time to note your interest on that forum, please take these words as thanks. No matter how few the words are, they all count. With your thoughts, stories and words Steve’s memory, and Haydn’s legacy lives on.
Steve put it better than anyone – Life. Live it, love it. He sure did!
By: EN830 - 30th August 2005 at 14:04
Just bumping to keep this at the top of the pile, now that it’s unstuck !!!
Is the get together on the Saturday now ?
By: Snapper - 25th August 2005 at 07:13
There is a Sevice of Remembrance at Duxford on the Sunday morning. Free entry to the airfield etc. To follow that with a Sunday lunch sounds rather appetising….!
By: Tracey George - 24th August 2005 at 12:40
If saturday would suit everyone better then I’ll see what can be arranged. Will keep you all updated.
By: Geoff K - 24th August 2005 at 10:08
Tracey,
I would be grateful if you could. Sadly due to various reasons I was unable to attend Steve’s funeral or to be at Old Warden for the minutes silence and Chipmunk display in his honour, so I would be very sad to have to miss this get-together in his memory too.
Geoff.
By: Tracey George - 24th August 2005 at 09:39
If a saturday would be better I can have a word with the pub?
By: Auster Fan - 23rd August 2005 at 11:42
Regrettably, I am not able to make the event on 11.11.2005. I’m sure you will remember him in the the appropriate way and please accept my apologies for not being able to attend. It was a privilege, however to have been able to attend his funeral and I hope in time that the pain will ease. I wish you all best wishes for the future.
By: Geoff K - 21st August 2005 at 20:25
I was thinking the same Mark. I couldn’t make the Friday, but Saturday or Sunday ought to be okay.
Geoff
By: Snapper - 21st August 2005 at 08:13
Thankk you Tracey, it’s so good to know that you and Haydn are doing ok. Steve would have been pleased.
Just thinking, 11th November is a Friday night. Remembrance Sunday is the 13th. For those who are working and living a bit further away etc might that not be worth considering? There is also a service of Remembrance at Duxford which some people might be travelling down for. Just a thought, ignore me!
By: Mark9 - 18th August 2005 at 10:20
Tracey wishing you and Haydn a great future. Steve was a great guy and will always be remembered. Anna 😉
By: Steve Bond - 18th August 2005 at 08:14
I will try and get there too.
By: STORMBIRD262 - 18th August 2005 at 05:27
Thank you from Oz Tracey.
And well done everyone else, this all has merit!!
By: alanl - 17th August 2005 at 22:49
Thanks Sea Fury Fan it was a day to remember, and Ben is seven just like your lad. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as we did.
Not wishing to hijack Tracys thread, here is Ben in the cockpit of ‘RA with Captain Mike Day somewhere over the Channel!
Alan.
I will try to make the meet if I can.
By: Seafuryfan - 17th August 2005 at 21:58
Tonight, Your Target is…
Alan, what a fantastic experience that must have been, my son is seven now and we’ll certainly be doing the same. Changing tack somewhat….
Riiiiiiiiiiiiight Forumites (claps and wrings hands profusely)
For those journeying from afar, here is a link to accomodation in St Ives. I’ve checked out the locations on Multimap, and the Golden Lion, White Hart, and the St Ives Hotel are all within easy walking distance to The Aviator. Rates are very reasonable ranging from £30-£78 for a single or, if you’re on a budget, £45-90 for a twin (in which case you can serenade each other to sleep doing Merlin impressions).
http://www.stives-town.info/refreshment/hotels_and_guest_houses.htm
If anyone books the White Hart, please PM me and we’ll meet up for a briefing in the White Hart bar, before departing for OP AVIATOR 🙂
By: alanl - 17th August 2005 at 21:32
Hi Tracey, as I write this I must admit I have a tear in my eye after reading your wonderfull words.
I am sorry I did not post to the previous threads but I didn’t know what to say at the time apart from how sorry I was to hear of your, Julie’s and Hadyn’s loss.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Steve but I wish now that I had, he sounds the type of guy we would all like to be!
However I would like to say that Steve inspired me to do something by his actions and that was, when he took Hadyn up for his first flight last year in a Rapide I said to my wife that I would like to do that for my son Benjamin some day, and this year thanks to Air Atlantique I was able to take him on his first ever flight, in a Dakota to Jersey for the liberation day celebrations and what a day we had something that I and Ben will certainly never forget!
So thanks Steve and Hadyn for the inspiration,like Steve said at the time what a joy to see their face’s.
Best Wishes Alan Longstaff.
By: laviticus - 17th August 2005 at 21:18
hi tracie
I think its really nice you have posted,i also feel that the people on this forum some of who were lucky enough to have known steve and some of us that only knew him by his postings will always welcome you.
GOD BLESS
DAVE…..
By: kev35 - 17th August 2005 at 21:18
I was only wondering the other day where I should go for the 11th.
Now I know.
“Steve deserves some smiles, he was good bloke. He’s missed, and won’t be forgotten.”
Nothing else I can add.
Regards,
kev35
By: Seafuryfan - 17th August 2005 at 21:08
Hi Tracey, a great idea for a get-together. Some of us work-monkeys will in the meantime get a bit of time off sorted out – look forward to seeing you all there.
Rick
By: Avro's Finest - 17th August 2005 at 21:01
Hi Tracie.
You never know even I may come and drink a pint to a good bloke.
It hurts like hell now ……..
But it will get easier…………..
Take care.
Steve…..
By: ageorge - 17th August 2005 at 19:30
[QUOTE=Tracey George]
I’ll leave you now before I bore you all to pieces. But just a few final words first. (Yeah, I know, you’ve had enough already!!)
You will never bore us lot to pieces , we are a mini-community on this Forum and there are no strangers – only friends you have never met .
Keep posting , get Haydn posting .
I’m sure there are a couple of the Northern contingent who can get down south in November .
Alastair and Jennifer George
By: dhfan - 17th August 2005 at 18:56
Smiles for Steve are a good idea. I/we’ll be there if we can.
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August 17, 2005 at 3:15 pm