Mr Anva Luc

I remember he used to come to eastergate school with a golden dog to retune the school piano. I remember the excitement of us children when he’d enter the building, news travelled fast!! I remember feeling a kind and peaceful air about him!
Only recently I saw him in west dean on his way to retune a piano and I plucked up the courage to go and say hi, I mentioned eastergate back in the mid to late 80’s he said that eastergate was one of his first tuning jobs. An amazing person and I’ll never forget his kindness!

Our childhood was a happy one, and we have countless memories of our dad that we will remember forever with fondness and joy. Growing up with a blind father may seem to be difficult and unusual, but of course it was far from that. Our dad was one of a kind; being blind didn’t stop him from living life to the full, or stop him from looking after us and teaching us about so many things. Many of you would not expect it, but it was our dad who taught us how to ride a bike! We would go out into the amphitheatre park just five minutes away from here and he would push us down the grass hills and shout ‘just keep pedalling!’ It worked. He taught us how to swim, tie our shoelaces, read the time, amongst many other skills that we took for granted as children.

Most of you know our dad as being a skilled piano tuner and technician, but he had several other talents and passions. At home, he did everything; cooking, cleaning, gardening. The garden was his domain and he grew all sorts of vegetables, but particular favourites were spinach and runner beans. After having grown up on our dad’s spinach, we are disappointed with any other! His passion for vegetables was intense to say the least. Jokingly Kenji suggested instead of a floral wreath we should have one made of leeks and spinach. Then in the catalogue we found one made of vegetables – it couldn’t be any other choice. So if you were confused by the vegetable wreath that is the reason why. Every meal had to have a huge bowl of vegetables and a clear vegetable broth soup, even if the main dish consisted mainly of vegetables! It was no surprise that when Maria turned vegan, our dad was quick to adopt a majority vegan diet too.

He was also a prolific DIY person. Almost anything that was broken, he could fix. It got rather annoying sometimes as he would insist on keeping things until it was truly unusable. Even then he would hoard the parts that still worked for another project. Perhaps the most ridiculous was the hoover. Only in the last year did he cave in and buy a new one. Previous to that, he kept all the hoovers we had ever owned and whenever one broke, an old one would reappear mysteriously ‘fixed’. In the end our hoover became a sort of Frankenstein creation, with parts from all of the hoovers he had refused to throw away, all stuck together with duct tape.

Although he maybe didn’t always intend to be, he was a very funny person, making really bad dad jokes and doing the most horrendous attempts at different accents – perhaps the worst was his ‘American’ accent. Whenever we talk about our dad, we always end up laughing. When myself and Maria were very small, our mum would often read us stories before bed-time. Once a week she would go to college to teach Japanese and on those evenings it was our dad’s duty to do just that. Obviously he was not able to ‘read’ a story, but he would do his best to piece together fragments of fairytales that he knew with some hilarious personal additions. One particular story I remember was his version of Cinderella where the ballroom scene ended up with a huge food fight initiated by the step-sisters who threw cream cake at Cinderella’s dress in a jealous rage. He would tell the story with great enthusiasm, complete with silly voices for all the characters.

We’d often play games with him, including hide and seek. You would ask ‘how does a blind person play that?’ Well, his attempts at hiding were not the most subtle. Most of the time we would find him ‘hiding’ underneath a towel or dressing gown behind the door. When he was trying to find us we wouldn’t be able to hold our laughter in and it would give us away. We also used to play ‘I spy with my little eye..’ which sounds even more ridiculous. There was one time where we just couldn’t work it out. He said ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with ‘s’. It ended up being ceiling. Every Christmas we play board games as a family (scrabble and the Train Game were favourites) and would always end up with hysterical laughter. When he obtained an Alexa device he enjoyed playing around with the features on the device, always chuckling when Alexa would mishear him.

Our dad was at his happiest and most carefree when doing some form of exercise. As many of you already know he loved to swim. Every week he would go to the leisure centre, trying to beat his previous record of lanes he had swam. After every swimming session together he’d ask ‘how many lanes did you do?’ The majority of the time we were just messing around, and if we did happen to count the lanes we did he’d always beat us by a long way. Family holidays usually consisted of a lot of walking and hiking; the most memorable being Ireland, Yorkshire and Snowdonia. We still can’t believe how our dad managed so many difficult walks, including Mount Snowdon. Not once would he complain about being tired. In fact, he would complain if a walk didn’t have some sort of uphill – it wasn’t challenging enough! His playful competitive spirit never went away, even as we became adults.


The summer season was our Dad’s favourite and he would spend the whole day outdoors in the sunlight tending to his vegetable patch whilst listening to the radio. He particularly enjoyed keeping up with the tennis. We’d enjoy seeing him move his mat for napping along the garden as the sun moved across the sky. The summer meant he could enjoy swimming in the sea. We frequented the beaches near Chichester and enjoyed coastal holidays, but his favourite beach was Bournemouth with it’s lush golden sand and tides which enable you to swim in the sea all day. He would always dig a hole in the sand under the sea with his feet to prank us and with his sharp senses, catch tiny shrimp with his bare hands, something none of us can do.

Music was central to my dad’s professional and personal life and connected us all in the most profound way. Our house is crammed with pianos. He enjoyed messing around on the pianola, saxophone, accordion, flute, and guitar. He would play the accordion and saxophone for clap for the NHS during lockdown. He enjoyed lyrical music in all types of genres. We attended countless concerts together and would always have music playing in the house. He promoted our Luc Family Concerts by making calls and handing out posters. Our Dad attended almost all our performances, even as we all moved to Manchester and started to have performances elsewhere in the country. He enjoyed experiencing new places and we miss showing him our new homes and gardens in Manchester and he would give us gardening tips. He enjoyed rolling down my sloped garden with Kenji and lounging on the patio with his radio.

Our Dad was an incredibly special person, someone who could have left this world at 7 years old but instead prevailed and contributed so much to all our lives. We miss him so much but are eternally grateful to have him as our father. Rest in peace Daddy and thank you for everything.

We are very sorry to hear of the sad loss of Anva Luc. He last tuned our piano in November 2021 and was friendly and chatty as always. We greatly admired how he had overcome adversity and he was such a cheerful, interesting and talented man.

What an amazing man: with sincere condolences to all the family

In memory of Anva who gave my grandmother's piano a new lease of life.

It was a privilege to know Anva, such an inspirational man, always positive and in good spirits. I taught him French for a few weeks, he taught me his courage and joie de vivre for ever. The lessons were such fun with him! My thoughts and prayers are with you and the children Yuriko.

My daughter and I were always spell bound when Anva came to tune our piano each year. What a skill to watch. He even "checked" out our piano for us before we bought it. It was wonderful to hear him play it at the end and we will miss his annual visits very much. Our condolences to his family of which he was incredibly proud.

In memory of a delightful person, who was not only a dedicated craftsman and professional, but also someone of great warmth and kindness. With deepest sympathy to Anva's lovely family from all the Cookes

Anva, what an inspirational, astute and exceptional person, a role model for us all to better live our lives. Up for any challenge, thank you for raising so much for 4Sight Vision Support over many years. I am delighted that you renovated my 98year old piano. Through Yuriko and your amazing children, your legacy lives on and you will never be forgotten.

I shall always remember collecting dear Anva from tuning the sparkling black Yamaha piano owned by Guy Fletcher, the keyboards player of "Dire Straits". He played us an exciting medley of their best known songs, then raced off to fetch us a copy each of their new CD "Sailing to Philadelphia". We played it in my car on the way back to Chichester and Anva pointed out its little nuances.
Anva, like the name of the Chinese restaurant in Bracklesham Bay, we dine at once to celebrate your first TV appearance, you are No. 1 !

Dear good friend Anva,
You are so greatly missed by your beautiful, talented family and your huge number of loving friends.
Such a charismatic, intelligent, perceptive, warm person, you will remain an inspiration to us all.
May you rest in peace.

In memory of Anva
We shall miss you. You were a very special man, with much humility and warmth. You touched the lives of everyone you met.
With respect, love and appreciation,
Chris and Jenty.

Anva, our friend for 40 years, so sad that you should die so young. I will always remember you as an active fun loving man. The times we spent together at skittles evenings, the wlks over the downs, the barbeques in your garden, sailing and our meals together. Sadly, there will be no more. God Bless you and forever rest in peace. Johna

Anva was our piano tuner for many years, a fellow member of St. George's Church (where I sang in the choir with Yuriko) and a dear friend. We will miss him. May you rest in well deserved peace Anva.

We feel so grateful and privileged to have known Anva. He brought light and a warm smile to us whenever and wherever he visited and we will really miss him. Anva was so skilled in his work and we always looked forward to seeing him and our lovely conversations. Our thoughts are with his family and friends as we treasure his life.

I can’t believe Anva has gone and can’t imagine the world without him. I met him off the plane when he and his family first arrived in this country and got to know him when we both lived on Thorney Island where I was working for the British Council for Refugees, as it was then. He was an extraordinary person even then, always open to new experiences and always very able. Over the passing years, he has never ceased to amaze me, not because he had overcome his blindness, but because of his determination and ability to succeed at whatever he tried. I know he will be dearly missed by us all but he has left behind a wonderful legacy - his truly lovely family and many, many happy memories.

I will always remember your humor and strength. Each time I see Maria, Kenji, Imy and Yuriko I feel a bit of your presence.
You will be well remembered and dearly missed.

In memory of Anva who’s wisdom, kindness and good sense of humour.

I first met Anva when the kids were small, we spent many joyous hours at Ormonde Avenue garden parties where he always asked me to find him one more glass of red wine then he should have had, he was like a mischievous child!

I remember Anva during the first lockdown when we stood outside every Thursday to clap the NHS , he played the Accordion , it was joyful and made everyone smile.

I feel very fortunate to have met Anva and to have known him for the last 15 years or so. He will be so greatly missed by all his family and friends. He was a truly remarkable person.

I first encountered Anva and Yuriko when Maria joined my reception class at Rumboldswhyke school, followed a year or two later by Kenji. I have happy memories of listening to him tuning our school piano and subsequently our piano at home - despite its age, Anva was always keen to return it to its best pitch and sound quality. I eventually bought my next piano from Anva and enjoyed visiting their home, where Yuriko gave me a mini- recital on each of the five pianos he had for sale. More recently, it has been such a pleasure to see all the children flourish as musicians, and I cherish the memory of sitting beside Anva at one of their concerts and watching him take such pride in his children's talent. Rest in peace Anva - your memory will live on.

Dear Yuriko, Imy, Maria and Kenji,
We are so sorry to hear of your devastating loss. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.
With love from Nicola, Neil, Tom, Charlotte and Carmen xxxx

In memory of Anva from the Hasnip family

I am so sad to hear that Anva is no longer with us. His life story is an inspiration; Anva was an exceptional human being. My deepest sympathy goes to his family at this sad time.

We are sending this donation to remember our much loved piano tuner Anva Luc.

Chichester will be the poorer for losing Anva; he will be missed by so many people. Anyone who has a piano probably knew him, and admired him for his talent, courage, and love for his family.
Anva tuned our piano for 23 years, always before Christmas (photo included from his visit on 12th December 2021), so for us his visits heralded a special time of playing and singing. He always showed such interest in our family – particularly when our son went to China and came back a few years later with our daughter-in-law. Anva always asked how our grandchildren were getting on with their music lessons. We took them to meet him at the Luc family Christmas concert in 2019 and we will always remember the joy on the children’s faces as they recognised familiar tunes played live for their first time, watching the instruments so close to where we sat.

My most vivid memory of Anva is a scene I happened to see by chance one day from our front room opposite. He was in the side passageway with Kenji; this must have been more than 15 years ago as Kenji was only a toddler. Anva was squatting on the ground and sweeping a leafy branch around on the ground and the wall. Kenji was tottering around following the branch and the swishing sounds and Anva was talking to him as this played out. I remember thinking at the time how beautiful and simple this form of entertainment was.

My fondest recent memory of Anva is him enjoying champagne in our garden last April as we celebrated his 60th birthday. I can remember him laughing as we toasted him in the sunshine.

Sending heartfelt condolences to Yuriko and family.
Many fond memories of Anva, who has been tuning my piano for over 30 years since arriving in Chichester with Milo. Always so kind and knowledgeable, he also has tuned so many of my students' pianos over those years. If ever I was doing a performance, Anva would always go to the venue and tune the piano. We would chat about our families and he was so proud of his children. Sending gratitude for having known such a special and inspirational friend.

Anva was always one of the most cheerful and talented people I knew: his enthusiasm and passion for what he did was infectious, and his humour and kind-heartedness touched everyone he met. He is a great loss, but leaves behind an amazing legacy and his spirit lives on through his family and all who knew him. Anva, you will be missed by us all.

One of my first introductions to Chichester was to have dear Anva tune my beloved piano that had been inn storage for many years. I know of his great reputations a skilled piano tuner. It was an honour to meet him in my new home. I have so enjoyed getting to know your talented family and enjoy your concerts and of course my piano lessons with Yuriko have been delight.

I am so sad for you all to hear of The loss
What an amazing man I used to come to your house for kenjis birthday party with my son Solomon as they where friends at school always he played the paino to all the games amazing talent
Huge condolences to all of you
Thinking of you all at this time.
Jemima and Solomon xxxx

My lasting impression of Anva will always be one of a man with tremendous courage. Reading the story of his life is truly inspiring and beautifully written. Our sincerest condolences to Yuriko, Imy, Maria and Kenji. Anva lived an amazing life and was an example to many people. He will be hugely missed.

Anva was an amazing man and what a remarkable life he had. I am so lucky that I know him.
R.I.P

Anva will always remain such an inspiration for his courage and determination, his friendship and generosity of spirit, and his love and devotion for his family. So many memories are bound up with the family, such as attending Tzu-ling's wedding with little Imy and Maria as bridesmaids. Another memory - a friend in London had a photographer friend who was making a series of portraits of a wide spectrum of people in very everyday but specific situations. She wanted to take a photo of someone who was blind drinking coffee by an open window with the steam rising. We knew at once we could ask Anva and he would be up for this! What love and respect we hold him and the family in at this time.

Anva regularly tuned our piano at our family home when I was a child. I loved listening to him play after he’d finished tuning, and would marvel at his incredible ear. Milo would always be with Anva and sit patiently by the piano until he was finished. Fond childhood memories.

That piano is now with me in NZ, and my children are both learning to play on it. When the piano tuner visits it takes me back to my childhood, watching and listening to Anva do the same. He was an inspiring man and I’m sorry for your loss.

My piano was the better for your attention.
You will be widely missed.
Inspiration comes in many forms and you have and your memory will inspire many people
RIP

I've known Anva since 1988 when I was picked by my school headteacher to take him round the school for the day so he could tune all the pianos. We had a great laugh together and I learned a lot. He showed and explained to me how a piano worked, the mechanisms of the hammers and so on, and gave me a very basic lesson on piano tuning. And I got to play with his guide dog Milo all day too.

I meet him again when my dad started volunteering at a disabled swimming group at the Westgate centre which Anva was a member of. We used to meet in the reception where he left Milo and I'd guide him into the changing rooms then out to the pool. We spent an hour every Saturday for 4 or 5 years racing up and down the pool, him using the floating lane divider as a guide. He used to win every time. Until I aquire a pair of diving flippers to help me swim faster. Then he only beat me most of the time.

After that I saw him around from time to time, and after I became a cab driver I drove him from time. He was always interested in how me and my family were getting along, and he always made me smile and laugh. And his is a laugh I shall remember and miss.

Goodbye my friend, thank you.

You have much happiness to many people Anva and my donation will go towards making children happy and musically fulfilled. - rest now in peace. Elizabeth Stanley

Such a lovely man and it was always a pleasure to chat when he came to tune our piano. He was so proud of his family. He will be missed by many people.

We were all so sorry to hear of Anva's passing. He was such a lovely man and will be missed by many.

I knew Anva & his family since the days all our children went to Rumboldswhyke school in Chichester. My husband is a pianist so Anva would regularly tune his piano. He was ALWAYS positive, funny, friendly, intelligent and talented. He never moaned once. I hadn’t seen Anva for ages due to Lockdown but felt so blessed that I bumped into him before Xmas and had a lovely chat. A truly wonderful inspiring brave amazing man. RIP

It is with a great sense of loss that I have learned about the sudden death of Anva. He was a remarkable man, who was always there to help and support, with his mastery as a piano tuner & as an instrumental technician. I wish to extend my condolences to all of the family, you are in my thoughts and prayers at this time. Anva was always my tuner of choice, there was no better and I recall his infectious sense of humour and warm smile. His perfectionism and craft will be missed by a large musical community within the area. It was a privilege to have known you and your family as a musician and teacher. Your spirit will shine on in your remarkable and talented family, in which you have left a lasting legacy to us all. Rest now, your work is done.

So sorry to hear, I worked at 4sight for a number of y ears and Anva joined our tech group. He was a pleasure to work with and was always a whizz with tech and keen to learn new skills. He was always cheerful and fiercely independent. Thoughts are with family and friends at this time.

We were saddened to hear this news. You would always come and see us every week at the fruit and veg stall. A very talented man and will be sadly missed.
RIP.
Marie and tony coward (t&t fruits)

Anva will be remembered for his amazing achievements and wonderful sense of humour.
With love,
From friends at No Strings Badminton

Sad loss of a lovely man

In memory of dear Anva, such a Gentleman.
Thank you for making my piano sound beautiful again….

Anva both re-conditioned my very old piano for me but tuned it several times. I was so impressed with his skill, warmth and humour. I was amazed by how good he made it sound. I could never match how he played it and the sound he got from it. It was only a couple of months ago that he rang me to see if I wanted it tuned again but it was not convenient. It is so sad he has gone and so young! The thoughts of my wife and I are with his family.

So sorry for your loss. Anva was an inspiration to all of Chichester and beyond. Living his life with such brilliant independence and good humour. It is clear what a positive impact he had on many communities.

I was very sad to read of Anvas death in the paper today. We always enjoyed his visits to tune our piano. He was a remarkable and talented man, full of curiosity about life. Sending very best wishes to his family

We will always remember Anva as a cheerful and happy person with a great sense of humour who loved to chat to everyone. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Moyria and Terry Woodgate

I am terribly saddened to hear the news of Anva’s passing. Anva has been visiting Seaford College two or three times a year for so many years to keep our instruments in good health and in excellent tune. He has always been charming, witty, and chatty. And to hear him give each piano a ‘once over’ (playing so beautifully before and after he tuned) was such a joy - you could hear how he cared.
Condolences to the whole family. He is sorely missed by us as I know he will be by you.
Sara

It was a delight to know Anva Luc and we always appreciated his visits to tune our rather unusual piano (a 'medieval' Bechstein). We were most interested to read his story and greatly admire his courage and determination, and the way he has encouraged his family, whose progress we have been most interested to follow. He has been an inspiration to us all.

Anva first tuned our brand-new Yamaha shortly after we arrived in Sussex in 1988 and we well remember watching him carefully softening g its upper register, at our request, by pricking the felt of each top-end hammer with a needle. He then began coming to us annually in December so that the piano was always in good tune for our end-of-year festivities. Somehow his visits helped to spark the Christmas spirit and we always looked forward to them - not least the impromptu “Anva-music” which heralded the end of each tuning session.
At first we had met his lovely Labrador guide-dog and we shared his sadness when Miki died. Thereafter we were amazed at how well Anva adapted to finding his way around without Milo’s faithful help, and we were always happy to ferry him on to his next appointment or to take him home at the end of a long day. He would also tell us, with justifiable pride , of his children’s musical and other achievements and we very much enjoyed attending some of their recitals in Chichester. It was a great shock to learn that Anva’s untimely death occurred barely two weeks after he had visited us last December. We send our warmest sympathy to his family on the grievous loss of a loving husband and father, who made such a success of his life in this country after what must have been the most testing start in Vietnam. We shall always remember, with much affection, this remarkably accomplished and courageous man who was liked and admired by so many people, right across the world.

Mike & Anwyl Allisstone
Sidlesham

In loving memory of Anva and with gratitude for all his encouragement and kind words. He will be sadly missed and forever in our thoughts and hearts.

Thank you Maria for quoting and posting our words. I shall always remember Anva as the keen, teenage student with an impish sense of humour, when he was amongst "Boat People", housed in the former military camp at Thorny Island and he was in my English Language group . He came on well, didn't he?
Patrick

The hands of a master piano technician. This is Anva making voicing adjustments to my Yamaha piano in 2020. He was a gentleman and very proud of his family. A great loss and sadly missed.

You will know that, in 1980, Patrick was amongst his English teachers when he first came to this country and was housed at the former military camp at Thorney Island. He was still a teenager and very enthusiastic!
It was always a pleasure to meet him, very often at musical events. We shall miss those encounters and his coming to tune our piano
It was so good that Anva discovered his ability to be an excellent piano tuner and he has passed on his love of music to his children. Pauline and Patrick

Chichester will miss you.

In memory of an inspirational man.

With love and great respect for Anva. What a wonderful legacy he has left.

In Pre-Covid days we would admire his ability and confidence in
swimming amongst sighted swimmers and through the narrow streets in the City streets. Having worked and lived in Hanoi for a UN agency in 1989-92, I had a natural empathy with Anva and all he had achieved since his early days.

In remembrance of Anva, a man who showed how it was possible to live well with sight loss and who, in the music he and his family shared, immeasurably enriched the life of our community.
With love from David and Nicola

I am just back to put in writing my thoughts about Anva - of course I have always been geographically distant as a friend, so my memories might be from this particular angle. But having been your guest a few times, I remember Anva as a friend and host with genuine interest in other countries and cultures. Whenever we met, he would ask many questions about Hungary too or he was comparing our countries, also bringing up examples of China or other countries. All this was very interesting to me. He was a friendly host with whom conversation was flowing easily – as well-informed as he was, he would stimulate thinking and talking about all kinds of issues of our contemporary world. I very much enjoyed those times around the table, and I must say I felt the same last year when we had our Skype video calls! I kept telling my Hungarian friends about your family, our life-long friendship and the warmth and care that emanated from our online get-togethers!

Otherwise I have particularly happy memories of an old summer, probably prior to your marriage when you invited a small international circle of friends for dinner. There was Carine and her friend from France, a Vietnamese girl and myself. We all happened to be in Chichester at the same time! The Vietnamese friend was doing the cooking with Anva’s guidance, they made a Vietnamese meal. Everybody was happy and in high spirits (and we were all young! ) so I never forget this evening. The next day we girls went to West Wittering beach, although Anva was not there with us then. But somehow I also remember a walk with Anva and you on West Wittering beach. So those are my best memories, as I have not been back to Chichester very often afterwards (last time in 2010).

On a couple of occasions we did talk at length about his remarkable and not easy life He described his time in China and Vietnam. How he was blinded and his move to the Uk to Hayling Island.I remember seeing him with many of your family at East Head a few years back and my memory is of hearing your family laughing. Anna (Hungary)

I first met Anva in East Street, near the Cross. He had walked up alone holding his long white stick with a ball on the end. He seemed uncertain exactly where he was so I asked him where he wanted to go. He told me and so I guided him back to the bank, which he had passed. I was impressed by his voice and his good English accent.
At my home, I remember Anva holding a Chinese Lantern to see if this flower was the sort you can eat. He handled it carefully and pronounced that it did not have much inside so it was not for eating!
Last Summer, during a children's party, I was sitting with Anva and Yuriko on the sunny terrace at Lordington. Anva told me about the time when they used to bring the girls to piano lessons at Lordington with Elizabeth. It was lovely to have a conversation and Anva seemed very relaxed and lively.

Memories of Anva: We remember Anva coming to a ballet with Imy and Maria and our family at the theatre in Bognor. He was so enthusiastic about it, and although he couldn’t see the dancers visually he experienced their emotion, rhythm and energy. The whole atmosphere excited him, and of course he entered into the music which would have been Tchaikovsky ….if I remember correctly the ballet was Swan Lake.
Whenever we visited your home Anva was always busy, often gardening or cooking, and always so interested to both talk and to listen. He was hungry for knowledge and understanding and was so ‘present’ in any conversation.
We always marvelled at his determination and enthusiasm for life, despite his disability.
On a number of occasions I would see him in town making his way to his next piano tuning job, he would recognise my voice immediately and stop to chat.
We also remember him coming to our home to tune our piano which when we moved away from Chichester, became one of his collection of pianos!
One of the sadnesses in leaving a place where you’ve lived for some while, is leaving dear friends and for us that very much included you…Anva, Yuriko, Imy, Maria and Kenji.

You asked for memories of Anva - we always enjoyed his visits to tune our piano and his playing on completion of the tuning. We had conversations about all sorts of topics with him, in particular about gardening and vegetable growing. He gave me a tip about saving spinach seeds which I have found most useful and have passed on to others and when his spinach failed and during lockdown seeds were not obtainable I was pleased to be able to give him some spare ones of mine.

In deepest sympathy from Bill and Sarah Sharp

A kind and gentle man.

You will be sorely missed. I remember you coming up to tune our pianos regularly, arm in arm with Yuriko.

You will be sorely missed Anva. I remember well you and Yuriko coming to our many drinks party and tuning our piano so beautifully

I met Anva several times at concerts, after I had got to know Yuriko through the Pallant Piano Group in 2016. I was always impressed by his cheerful greeting in recognition, and the obvious love and pride he had for his family. My last conversation with him was after the Bognor Regis Music Club Members' evening in mid-December. I had sung a funny song about the fourth wise man with some props, and showed them to him so he could touch them. I am sorry not to have had made more time to speak with him on these occasions.

I am very moved by the tributes on this site from those who knew him well. I count it a privilege to have known him even a little, and my thoughts and prayers are with the family in their grievous loss. I believe that the love they knew through him will never die, and know that the bonds of the musical gifts Anva and Yuriko shared with their children, and so many others, will continue to inspire many. Thank you God for Anva, and for keeping him safe in your love until we meet again.

I have known Anva since early 2000 when he started tuning my pianos, but he always went the extra mile, going far beyond regular requirements - taking it upon himself to support in any way that seemed appropriate. I regarded him as a friend along with his Wife, Yuriko - and he always had a cheery personality, laughing and joking. I will miss his friendship.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your devastating loss, from all the Sandes family

Memories: Anva and I, with my late wife Sue, go a long way back to the late 1980's with West Sussex Association for the Blind and our sports club which included sailing, pub skittles, and rambling.

Milo Anva's very big Yellow Labrador guide dog joined us for sea swimming too. Anva was a very strong swimmer with the Otters in Chichester, of course.

Like Michael Frank (with Yoshie), I sometimes took Anva to his piano tuning jobs. One client's house was in Aldwick Bay, where it turned out that the keyboards player for Dire Straits Guy Fletcher lived.

Anva tuned his beautful black Yamaha piano perfectly and Guy played us a medley of their songs and gave us each a copy of their latest album, Sailing to Philadelphia.

I was stunned but Anva took it all in his stride, being such a cool guy! We played the CD in my car and he picked out subtle nuances in the melodies for me.

Anva appeared on UK national TV in the 1980's as one of the most accomplished, settled newcomers to UK from Vietnam.

Via an open boat voyage of 6 weeks to Hong Kong where he slept on a straw beach mat in a camp for 6 months before coming to England.

To celebrate his TV appearance we took him to a new Chinese restaurant in Bracklesham Bay called "No. 1". A most appropriate description of Anva who achieved so much in his life, not least by marrying you dear Yuriko and together raising your exceptionally musically gifted children, Imy, Maria, and Kenji, to whom, along with their partners, I also offer my most sincere condolences.

In fond memory of Anva Luc, an inspiration to us all. Our piano will forever sing to his name. With love and best wishes from Humphrey van der Klugt

My best memory of Anva is him on the dance floor at one of our Brookfield parties, face beaming, full of joy, radiating his love of life. He was never defined by his disability, he wasn’t a blind man, he was a man who just happened to be blind. Such was his positivity he swept us all along with him, always enthusiastic about whatever project he had taken on, always matter-of-fact about his accomplishments, never recognising what a truly special person he was. We can all learn from his example, to not complain, or feel sorry for ourselves, but to know that any problems we face are only there to be overcome. He was gentle and kind, with a ready laugh bubbling just under the surface, always happy to be in company, and always a good friend. We feel privileged to have known him.

A beautiful soul is never forgotten, just remembered with great love.

Remembering Anva’s extraordinary life, kindness and independent spirit, the many concerts, our talks about music, nature, Italy and food.
May you rest in peace. Arrivederci, dear friend.

In memory of a very gentle and courageous man.

Here are some memories of Anva: I first met him when I tendered the Royal National College for the blind in 1983 studying piano tuning as a mature student. He and another Vietnamese friend also started the course at the same time. His friend was called Danny but this was a name given to him by American Missionaries who had adopted him after his father had been killed in the war. Both of them had done other studies prior to piano tuning at the college. Also both of them were blinded in that conflict as children. They were extremely friendly and hospitable welcoming people 4 cups of tea and sometimes making food. Both of them worked very hard at their studies and could be found in the evenings and weekends in the tuning rooms practicing. I was impressed at the time by their dedication. It amused me too sometimes have to translate between the two of them in English because Danny's English was learnt from Americans andAnva English. And they didn't share a common language from Vietnam. Danny unfortunately was unable to complete the course despite trying hard he was unable to master the skills necessary. He later went on to do cycle maintenance and unfortunately died of cancer quite a few years ago now AnvA was successful in demonstrating application and patients learning skills as anyone who has studied on the course will know are not easily gained. After we had completed our training in 1986 he's sometimes used to come and visit us in Gloucester staying with us. He loved swimming when we went to the swimming baths he used to dive off the top board which is something that I wouldn't do, with a shout of all clear below this he used to do without any sight at all. Over the years we used to exchange phone calls to see how each other's work was going and to share tips relating to piano work. He was very very capable and would attempt all kinds of repairs and was a very good quality tuner. As you know we attended a few concerts by your children. Because of his influence when my daughter attended Cardiff University she initially shared student accommodation with 3 other girls the one of them was from Vietnam and we and her family became friends which we still are. Mai got married we went to Vietnam for the ceremonies and a holiday.Anva spoke to her father who did not speak any English on occasion when they visited Us in England, as I phoned upAnVa so they could have a chat. Afterwards her dad said that he was speaking Vietnamese like a foreigner which indicates that he got very used to English and was a bit rusty in his own language. When I first knew him he used to call himself An but later changed it because he became more aware that it sounded like a girl's name. In his life he overcame many difficulties recovering from a bomb blast which blinded him and temporarily deafened him and caused other injuries, travelling with his family later as boat people to England, learning a new language and then studying to become a piano tuner. This required being accepted on the course by quite a vigorous assessment, and then being successful in passing the final exam. Only about 50% of the people who started the course completed the course. While he was a student one of his brothers was killed by traffic in London which seems very ironic considering that they came from a war zone and travelled as boat people all the time he seem to remain positive. And just on a very light note he reminded me of the occasion at college when people were boycotting the dining room in some complaints about the quality of the food he and I both went into the dining room because we weren't going to miss our dinner. Both enjoying food and not putting any weight on!

A fine man and sadly missed. Rest in peace.

Anva was a fun and talented person to be around. I remember him from college in Hereford and I remember him inviting me to visit his family in London. I think of him often and smile when I remember him teaching me how to use chopsticks. May his body rest in peace and his soul fly free.

In memory of Anva Luc - a generous person who always had a smile and warm welcome. With heartfelt condolences, Daniela and Stephen Bullas