John Stephen Godsmark

Christine and John, you are my family of heart, very precious and beloved friends. We spent many beautiful moments together, both in Belgium and in England. Thanks to you both, I discovered many nice places in your country, but more important, I became friends with great and wonderful people.

I first met Chistine when I joined a group of women who were all creating artwork. It was a great time with lots of beautiful moments. I immediately felt at ease with Christine, a great lady and was fascinated by her bronze works.
Later, I met John and was very impressed by his kindness, his good sense of humor and his resilience. But above all, I discovered a very united and exceptional couple, with great respect for each other, their family and their friends. I have great admiration and esteem for both of you.

John, you liked to tease me by saying: “Cat, you’re just a kid”.
When I talked about homeopathic products, natural medicine or vegetarian dishes, you had a big, gently teasing smile. I used to reply, “Yes, I know I’m not an engineer.” But it was always with mutual respect.
With Christine, you introduced me to Goodwood and its horse races and encouraged me to try betting on a horse. To "play the game", I bet and won, but then I bet again and lost everything. We laughed about it.

Whenever I was at your place, you both said: “Your room is ready, Cat”. You always made nice fruit bowls or “your” special Spanish breakfast. When you talked to Leslie and Tim, I could say hello to them in America. Spending time with Elaine and Steve was each time a great moment, it all made me feel like part of your family.

I will never be thankful enough to you both for those wonderful times we spent together. And I can assure you, John, that I will continue spending time with Christine. We will talk together, with tears in our eyes, about all the precious moments we all three shared.

You have a special place in my heart, John. I will think about you, light a candle, taste a new wine, look at pictures, sing a song...you can’t be forgotten.

With all my love,

Cat

Gerry and Di loved seeing John’s enthusiasm for his MGs and waiting for the next instalment in their restoration sagas!
We’ll also miss him singing in the choir.

In memory of John, such a talented and inspirational man, Much Love Susan & Brian

I first met John when he came along to an MG club meeting of Chichester MG Owners Club and it was not long before John was involved in the club. He was at the heart of the club always happy to help on anything. If you asked John to do something, you never had to ask twice. John always had the right answer to hand and if he did not, he would find it. John became a true friend and wise council on many occasions, taking on the role of club secretary. John never let his disability stop him and he and Christine would always be part of any trip or visit we went on.

John spent many hours working with, firstly Colin Jessey, then with Clive Wilson to plan and organise our club tours. To say he was dedicated is an understatement, he would ensure that every aspect of the tour was well planned and thought through. Even when he was ill he took the time to work with Alice and Michael Baggs on handing over the rains with great detail and was so pleased that they were able to take his work on.
A testimony of his dedication and commitment is reflected in the speed at which the tours book up, from opening to members to fully booked within 24 hours. This continues today, which is a legacy of John’s work.
Even when John became ill he still wanted to be involved with the club and when I went to see him he would always say.. ‘So, what’s been happening?’. Even when John became unable to operate his phone, he was investigating voice activated technology, to see if he could still comment and read our WhatsApp and Facebook messages. Indeed, right to the end Christine would be tasked with keeping him abreast of what was happening in the club via social media.
The MG family has lost one of it’s best and John leaves a big hole in everyone’s heart. I will miss him..

All our love
Andy and The Chichester MG Owners Club

I had the great honour to read my thoughts about our dear friend John at his funeral. This is what I said:

In the late 1970s I first met this impossibly cool couple with the funny surname. They lived in the New Forest - can you believe it the New Forest!

John was a young talented chemical engineer at Esso now Exxon, at that time the biggest company in the world. I was seriously impressed. I came to know them because my future wife Maggie had met Christine at Swansea University. Christine and Maggie had shared a house with four other girls in Windsor Street and all became lifelong friends. Christine’s then boyfriend John was a frequent and warmly embraced visitor whilst studying at Aston University. Warmly embraced? Because you couldn’t help but like John immediately.

At weekend visits down in the New Forest John would give us the most enormous welcoming grin, buzzing with delight. John loved finding out what you were up to. He was curious about everything - with his analytical and engineering mind drilling down into detail. Question would follow question, John adding this or adding that to the conversation. He was wonderful company always listening intently and chipping in. Like his darling Christine he had such a generous spirit, big hearted, and warm. As his career at Exxon took him around Europe, the US and even Asia he embraced life to the full wherever he lived, making friends everywhere, and we loved hearing about their adventures and exotic lives.

We met up over the years either as couples or together as the now twelve strong Windsor Street gang - the six women and husbands. I remember one baking hot July day in 1985 in the New Forest, all of us watching Live Aid on TV from Wembley Stadium, John almost bouncing with enthusiasm. It was the perfect occasion. He loved the music but, as a brilliant host one half of a wonderful couple, above all savoured the company.

John worked so hard to play his part in the enduring friendship of the Windsor Street gang - just take the more recent occasion where he spent hours and hours assembling old group photos accumulated over all the years for the 50th anniversary get together in Swansea. To him this would simply be a labour of love.

With his positive can-do attitude he overcame his childhood affliction of polio not just with stoicism but with aplomb. Nothing stopped him and he drove as long as he was able to, including in his beloved MGs of course. John had always loved cars and as an engineer really knew his stuff. I knew very little about them but I’ve had an old Audi for a long time which John admired. Whenever we met up he’d always say: How’s the Audi, Paul?

And also during the 2012 London Olympics John and Christine spent a wonderful day with Maggie, and met up with me during my shift working as a volunteer driver. John, of course, knew all about the spanking new BMWs we were driving around with this fancy new start-stop ignition system which was still a bit of a mystery to me!

The last time I saw him he was just the same. Still asking about the Audi, chatting happily about what he’d been doing and what we were up to. Exchanging tips on what to listen to on podcasts. Always smiling, good natured, strong opinions, mischievous yes, unkind never. Throughout all the time I knew him I never saw any bitterness, no self pity, to the end gracious and calm.

John Godsmark was without question one of the kindest, most decent people I have ever met. A very good man. But what will always stay with me will be that laughter in his voice, the big open smile, and above all the look in his eyes, his deep enduring love for his teenage sweetheart.

Thank you.

A great friend and mentor

In memory of John, a friend to so many, admired by so many, loved by so many, missed more than words can say by all that knew him.
Most of all our dear friend, Christine, his wife for fifty -nine years.

In memory of John a kind ,generous and lovely man.
With all our love
Chris and Hilary - The YEWEYS X

To celebrate the life of a wonderful cousin who was fun, smart, honest, honourable and had a smile that would light up the room. Rest in peace dear soul, you will be greatly missed.

John was a special colleague & friend for over 25 years at Esso/ExxonMobil. He was great company in addition to being an excellent engineer, who mentored many of the youngsters. His hobbies were numerous including song, guitar, piano, MGs, etc. His delightful wife Christine supported him ceaselessly. That wonderful smile & soft humour will be solely missed- a true gentleman. Our thoughts are with Christine during this difficult time. Peter & Pauline.

John was such a lovely man. His sense of humour and cheeky laugh were infectious. Jane and I loved spending time with him at various MG events. Christine's and John's thoughts and recollections of their time living in the US were particularly useful when planning our adventures. He is sorely missed.

Those we love, don't go away, they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
so loved, so missed, so very dear.

Thinking of You,

John & Larissa Blake

John was a much loved and valued member of the Sounds Familiar Choir and he contributed not only a fine voice but always a smiling face at our rehearsals and performances. He was such a lovely man in all respects and he is already sadly missed by all who knew him. The choir of heavenly angels will have an accomplished new recruit. Their gain is very much our loss. Rest in peace John.

A kind, thoughtful man with such an endearing smile, John was a true gentleman in every sense. We met so infrequently, due to distance, but always felt his warmth and humour. We have very fond memories of our last visit to John and Christine, when he was so interesting and easy to talk to and full of laughter over our attempts at a group selfie. Those slightly blurry photos are now very precious to us.

A lovely man. Our thoughts are with Christine and the family. Love to you all. Sue and Roger

We are both so glad to have met John during his Baton Rouge assignment and enjoy his and Christine’s friendship all these years.
We will always remember John and his endearing qualities that made you want to call him friend. His sense of humor and willingness to embrace life and all it had to offer was inspirational. We shall miss him, but fond memories will always remain. May he rest in peace.

I am another who met John through our shared love of the MGC and I was welcomed into a Sussex area WhatsApp group of largely MGC owners. I first met John when he was taking part on the GUTS run and we shared a delightful lunch at Cowdray Park with Christine. I thought he was the most remarkable man. He clearly made the most of life, whatever physical challenges he faced, and was such a joyful member of our group - and he loved his MGCs. I believe that he had just been diagnosed when we met for a group lunch last December, yet he was there is good spirits when many others might have shied away. We could all learn from John and I will miss his cheerful smile and good humour.

I became friends with John through the Chichester MGOC. He served as Secretary while I was Treasurer. He was a really lovely colleague and always had wise words when we faced issues. He was also great fun on our MGOC tours and always had a twinkle in his eye. I visited him several times when he was house bound towards the end. The last time we had a great chat about his early career. We realised we were both engineers he in Chemical Engineering and me in Mechanical Engineering. It was a lovely last chat with John. He will be sorely missed. I send much love to Christine at this difficult time.

A good humoured, kind and gentle man - in every sense of the word. Will always be grateful to John for his calm common-sense and help with our Residents' Association.

We know how sadly he will be missed by his family and friends.

Jean and Dennis Edwards

Reading all these lovely messages brings tears to our eyes and it is not surprising to read the memories of John we all knew as a fun loving, so friendly, kind and easy going person. The summer holiday on the Isle of Wight where John and Christine met will never be forgotten and the countless times spent as a foursome, now so precious. These include America, Belgium, Spain and of course the Uk (not forgetting the chilli crabs in Singapore!). John certainly handled everything in life with a quiet, composed and determined attitude…and that smile will be an enduring memory for us all we are sure.

So many lovely memories, always in our hearts.

From us all at 1006, to pay tribute to a great guy, fellow petrol head and one of our close and very dear, MG family members.

I only knew John in the past few years, but during that time he became a great friend. He really was one of the best people I have met - a true gentleman.

Working with him to organise the Chichester MGOC tours was always an enjoyable and rewarding experience. He remained calm and had a smile on his face even went things didn't quite go to plan!

I feel honoured to have known John and will really miss him.

I’ve known John since Uni days at Aston Birmingham on the SEGAS apprentice scheme. The time spent living in Eastbourne Braemar Hotel, when we were commissioning the local gas storage facility, was memorable and great fun.
Annette and I have kept in touch ever since, visiting him and Christine at their home in the New Forest back in the 70s, meeting up in Brussels one weekend when he and Christine showed us some of the delights of the local beers and later catching up with John and Mary Gallagher when they made a trip over from Canada, and seeing them in their beautifully renovated home in Felpham.

He was always a cheerful, positive character and great fun to be with and will be sorely missed.

What a pleasure to have know John and live with him in Sutton Coldfield whilst at University in Birmingham from 1965 to 1969. Great bloke, and as everyone refers to, always with a smile on his face. I recall John, Richard Ball and I all going to see the Bee Gee’s at one of their first performances in the UK at the Belfry Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield in June 1967. We did not realise then what a fantastic group they would become. Mad days at university! John always promised Richard and I, that he would ask his girlfriend Christine to join us at our flat in Sutton when we were studying for of final Chemical Engineering exams in 1969. Sure enough, this angel Christine arrived and cooked all our meals during those heady days! Thanks John and Christine.

John was a very special cousin of mine who had such a cheeky smile. I will miss him very much. When I think of John a particular day comes to mind in around 1959 when our families gathered at his parent’s beach hut on Shoreham’s pebbly beach for a day of fun, laughter and sandwiches.

The photo is a rare moment when the 'Guppy' cousins got together.

Cheers John and thank you for the memorable years working with you!

The past few days I have had John in my thoughts. I have remembered the many times we met, although they were far too few and each and every image in my mind is of John's infectious smile. So no surprise when I read the comments here, it was a smile he always wore and shared with many. Never did you hear dear John complain. He truly made you feel comfortable in his presence. He was so easy to talk to and gave you such a warm feeling. Life is so short and I only wish we had shared more conversations and that I knew more about his life. But the most important thing to him, was my beautiful cousin Christine. You could always see the love and warmth between the. Much love and hugs to all those who knew John. xxx

While organising the early Club Tours together, John became a very close and sincere friend. John was always dedicated and thorough in everything, putting the interest of others first. We already miss John, he will always be in our memory. Our deepest sympathy to Christine and family.
Colin & Sharon

John was my eldest cousin, he took me on my first plane flight, generated my interest in playing the guitar, in his company there was always humour, interesting conversation all surrounded by that unique laugh he had. He will be missed more than we can imagine.

Such a wonderful brother.He will surely be missed.His smile lit up the room.

Was a pleasure to meet and know John. Such a warm and kind man. Always a smile on his face and advice on his lips when needed about my MG.

My dearest Godfather John, it doesn't feel like you're gone because you are so vital so full of life and fun, and I know you will always be with me and with Christine and your family and friends. You and Christine are my family and have given us all so much, so many amazing memories and so much love and happiness. We are all in awe of everything you have achieved and experienced in your life. Lots of love from your goddaughter Laura, Steve and Theodore xx

I am so proud to be John's sister. Could never keep up with his amazing achievements throughout his life. He was the strongest kindest person I will ever know. I will always love and miss him. Lesley

I was so lucky to share 59 years, 53 married, with John. I couldn't have found a better life partner. We had such an adventure together. It's been wonderful. Heartbroken but John will remain my inspiration for the days ahead.
Christine