Norman Frederick West

So sorry for the loss of your dad. thinking of you and all the family at this difficult time.

Grandpa,
I can’t believe you’re gone and that I’ll never be able to hug you again, talk to you again, and listen to your horrible jokes that were so unfunny they were hilarious. I’ll really miss laughing my head off until my stomach felt tight and sore with you, you really were my favourite person grandpa, and my heart physically hurts knowing you’re actually gone.
You did so much for me over the years and I never did truly thank you for it all, cheering me up when I was blue, acting as if you knew what the birthday and Christmas presents nanny June got for me were, showing me how to do crazy tricks, playing games with me and taking care of me when I was little, except I never really realised you were there to ‘babysit’ me as you were always just playing games with me and being a big kid that I loved, that everyone loved really.
You were a very likeable person that anyone would struggle to find fault with, I know I couldn’t.
I used to spend my days trying to figure out how to do your famous Donald duck quacks (I still haven’t quite got it yet), however now I spend my days trying to swallow my feelings and trying to remember that you’re with nanny now, and there’s nothing I can do to bring you back for one more day filled with laughter, joy and fun.
I don’t believe I ever did see you upset grandpa, it’s one of the many many things I loved about you, you always saw the positive side in everything. I think that’s why everything’s so sad around here now.
Theres no way to explain the pain I felt when I found out I’d never see you again. However I have so many memories with you to fill the hole in my heart, like going round your house after school some days and playing with this strange triangular brain puzzle and you trying to teach me how to do it but I never listened and kept doing it wrong, trying to help you with the crosswords on your newspaper (I never was much help) but you made me feel like I was helping so I just kept on ruining your crossword for you!
I’ll miss driving past your home and seeing you in the garden gardening and waving at me grinning as I went past.
I remember always getting so angry with you as you would always say you were going to put nanny June in the bin or sell her, you were only joking, of course, but you knew it wound me up so you would constantly do it for a laugh. I remember watching you eat food as if you hadn’t eaten in years and doing truly embarrassing things to entertain me, I also remember the way my face lit up as you walked into a room.
I truly do love you unconditionally grandpa and I have too much to say about how much of an amazing person you were, you had such a pure soul and I truly am upset that I lost my best friend. I’ll continue to love and miss you every day of my life, and hold you in my heart until I can hold you in my arms in heaven.

Sharing the love, and giving hope in memory of a best friend, brother and uncle. Xx
RIP Uncle Norman xx

Dear Uncle Norman, you were an amazing uncle, always joking around and up for a laugh. Your personality shone through in your caring and kind nature. I can still remember when you used to play Peter & Paul with me when I was little and then continued this on with my own girls. You will always be in our hearts. God bless you xx

Reading through the messages that have been left for you it is clear to see how loved you are and how you will be missed. ..you were my uncle and my dads older brother and as a child he shared many story's of you and aunty June, and also his sisters and childhood, he always talked of you all with much love and fondness, and I know how much he looked up to you as his brother , reading through these messages its not hard to see why ...im so sorry for the loss of you in your children and grandchildren etc lives , but its comforting to know that you will be reunited with your beloved wife now, and I hope you also will say hello to my dad up there as I know how pleased he will be to see you once again, rest in peace Uncle Norman xxxx

Norman

When I first met Norman it was in the long hot summer of 1976, I was 20 and Norman was 39. How time has passed us by.
I can never understand how you let me within arm’s length of your daughter, I had Afro hair, beads around my neck and arms, a bit of something the 60s threw up. You should have listened to your neighbour when he asked the question, “What has Linda brought home this time”. You must have seen something in me because you and June let me into your family and always treated me as a member of the West clan.
We went on our first holiday abroad with you both and had a great time in Crete. I have many fond memories of our time there but my favourite was always the time you fell out of a Taverner near our Villa. Lin has already told the story of you burning your hands on a red hot car bonnet as we left, but it was what happened before that and just after that I chuckle over.
In the Taverner you were matching me pint for pint drinking beer until all of a sudden, your head went forward and you passed out with your head on the table. The waiter then looked over to me and asked the question, “Just one beer this time”. I then thought I had better get you home to the villa. Leaving the Taverna was when you fell on the bonnet burned your hands and swore for England. Surviving that I got you on the track to our villa going past our swimming pool. I had to get the keys off June for the villa so let go of you and went over to the pool. As I walked away I looked back and saw you go down on your knees, hesitate a second or two then went flat on your face. This had to be the most hilarious thing I had ever seen and was like something out of a comedy sketch.
Great times were had with you over the years, always the one that was like a kid in a sweet shop. You had a connection with your grandchildren and your great grandchildren that I have never really seen in anyone else, you were always first on the floor with them putting toys together so that they could play.
I can honestly say that over the years we never ever had cross word or fell out, a few times you probably thought I was a plank and a few times I thought you were a plank but never a cross word.
You taught me how to paint and decorate and how to make a good job with wall paper. You also bought me tools along the way that I would need to do any job around the hose or garden.
I will miss nipping in to see you for a bit of advice about something I was trying to do in my home. I will also miss your madness that made people laugh so much.
Thank you both for enriching my life over the years and for being there after my own parents died. I will miss you Norman and I will miss June, it will be difficult to accept that I am never going to see you both again but I will always remember you both with love and fondness for as long as I live.
Thank you for everything over the years and don’t worry I will always look after Linda.
You were a gent and I am glad I got to know you and that you always accepted me for who I was.

You will always be in my thoughts.
Barry

Dad

This is so difficult to write because I have so many happy and amazing memories of you Dad, too many to mention.

We chose this handsome photo of you in your Tux, and someone said to me you looked liked a Hollywood Star , well you truly were my “star”always the entertainer , comedian,and showman , you “thought” you could sing like Elvis Presley :) ,and you always sang in the shower, Mum always knew when you were finished in the bathroom ...peace would be restored for a little while :)
For me you shone in so many ways , you gave me support when I needed it and loved me for who I was, there was nothing you wouldn’t have done to protect me or any of your family.
I loved your confidence and ability to walk in to a room of people having sensible conversation and turn in it to a room filled with laughter, everyone knew you had arrived :)
We have been sent some lovely messages and all of them referred to your sense of humour and how you impacted their lives ,and their children’s too, this makes me feel warm ,so proud and more importantly makes me smile.
As children you were firm with us ,teaching us right from wrong and our manners, we wouldn’t argue with you , we knew you meant what you said , but that is just another attribute I am grateful for.
Sometimes you could be infuriating with being so stubborn , you did things your way when you wanted to even if you were not supposed to ! If someone told you that something was impossible for you to do you would prove them wrong ie after your spinal fusion operation , you were told you would never touch your toes , well you could do that better than any of us up until recently and would often demonstrate !
Ha ha

I am so thankful for all the holidays we shared , Mum, Barry and I had our first holiday abroad with you to Crete , I had always said to Barry “my Dad doesn’t swear “as he never did in front of us when we were younger,on one occasion Dad and Barry said to us they would get us a drink and bring it back for us , well about 2 hours later after a session in the local taverna Dad leant on a sun baked bonnet of a car , burnt his hand and the next reaction is unrepeatable on here , but suffice to say Barry told me your Dad definitely does swear! :)
The stories you told, the funny quotes and getting words slightly wrong were what made you the lovely ,funny Dad you were.

David and I were the lucky ones when you chose our beautiful Mum as the one and only true love of your life ,and you were hers too, you were devoted to each other and you made a great team.
I can’t imagine life without you Dad , you fought so hard to try to stay with us ,you were like a warrior , I love you so much ,there will never be another you and I will miss you so much , but thank you for a fun filled life full of memories to the end which I will have in my heart forever, sleep tight xx

It’s impossible to believe you have left us Dad. We shared so many great times together. Playing headers in the garden, holidaying at home and abroad, watching football and generally laughing at everything. There will not be a person alive, who knows you properly, that will be able to think of you without a smile upon their face and a funny story to tell. You had this fantastic gift of bringing joy and laughter wherever you were. In a world of difficulty you would always be able to find the humour & I give you my promise, I will endeavour to continue with that legacy. You were a fighter to the end and I thank you for leaving the stories we can tell about your less friendly encounters! You had your bad points, don’t we all, but the good qualities, massively outweigh the bad. You had great empathy for anyone less fortunate and you were a generous supporter & defender of them. You were often politically incorrect and you would say what you felt but always with a smile on your face so could get away with anything. Family was everything to you. You loved them and they loved you. Along with Lin & me, your grandchildren & great grandchildren will have many memories of all the fun and laughter you provided & they will live on in our hearts & minds forever. You were unique, a one off & I am half expecting you to pop your head out of the coffin and say “only me”. Love you Dad - keep on laughing xxx

Norman my much loved father in law we
miss you so much - I’m so so lucky to have had a father in law like you, the overwhelming memories of you are just having giggling fits and so much laughter- you brought a brightness to the dullest days, despite suffering with your health from the first time we met you always found the humour in everything - you have this amazing way with everyone you meet - making us laugh with your silly stories and all the kids just adore you, like you adored them. We had so many happy funny moments with you - often being in your company ended with us all being stitches by either something you had said or done. I will always Cherish the wonderful holidays we had together as a family - one stands out in particular when you were driving a car on one of the Greek Islands think it was Rhodes and the gear knob came off in your hand, you were driving on the wrong side of the road shouting at the car coming directly for us - calling him a dickhead! Haha you loved that name so it will always remind me of you! despite hardly any other cars around you said this is just like driving in London! We would always relive those moments & would laugh about it afterwards. It didn’t matter how many times you retold the same stories it was always funny. Your legacy will live on forever in your children, grandchildren & great grandchildren and I’m so grateful to have met David and be part of your life - you really were a gem of a man and I really hope you are now at piece enjoying a beautiful reunion with June - you will be missed but never ever forgotten.
Love Isabel xxx

Grandpa,

You were one of my most favourite people in the whole world. I loved every minute I spent with you. You would light up a room and never fail to make me laugh.

You told me once that you were going to live to 105 and I frequently reminded you and tried to hold you to it! In truth, I wanted you to live forever.

You were always there with love and support when I needed you and I will miss our long chats so much.

Thank you for being the most incredible grandpa anyone could ever hope for. You were so special to me and Chloe loved you every bit as much as I did.

I'm finding it hard to accept that you're no longer here but I will always carry you with me in my heart and spend every day trying to make you proud.

Love you always Grandpa xxx

You Were a LEGEND Norman West - one in a million.
Days spent with you on our holidays were full with so much laughter, especially making fun of the Japanese Tourists with your camera.
We will miss the phone calls and the long chats with both you and June.
Its very sad that we will never hear your voices again.
Dave and I will never, ever forget you and June. We loved you both very much because you were like a mum and dad to us.
We know you will find one another again and be happy together, forever. xxxx

Will miss you so much Uncle Norman. The time you met my daughter. The way you were with me as a child with your “wooden leg” and Donald Duck voice. Such an Incredible man. Love you forever xxxx

To my very silly Grandpa…
Or Poppy, as I decided to call you when I was learning to talk - I thought your name must have been Poppy as you were always chanting “play up Pompey, Pompey play up!”…

I find it very difficult to feel sad remembering anything about you because every memory with you in is filled with so much laughter that still makes me smile now!!

From the funny voices, to the songs you taught us (that you were convinced we taught you haha), to the magic of the paper “two little dickie birds” that you made disappear…

The hours we spent watching the dirty dancing movie over and over again together (which looking back now was kind of inappropriate as I was only about 8 or 9 years old!!! Haha!)

Your willingness to learn the Steps ‘5,6,7,8’ dance with me when I stayed with you for two weeks after I had my tonsils out (and practice it over and over again!)

Anytime spent with you & nanny was pure childhood magic! And I’m so grateful I got to enjoy having you both in my life 33 years!!

I always remembered you saying your greatest wish was to live long enough to see all your grandchildren have their children… and you did!

And I know you have made each of them fall in love with you just like we did.

You had the most special way around children which most could only admire!

I’m not sure what I believe happens when we leave this world, but I find so much comfort in knowing that you and nanny are together. I know you never wanted to be without one another and now you’ll never have to be!

No words can explain how much I’ll miss you.
I’m so glad you were my grandpa.
Love you more than words can say xxxxx

Dear Norman (who I always called uncle) sign of the Times, you were actually my cousin, if life had aligned us in a different path, we would have had the chance to be closer, but my memory of you is always a fun person, full of life, love & humour, may you live in this way externally
with June your beloved wife, RIP my cousin, yours Sheila xxxx

For my lovely brother, you weren't only my brother, but also my best friend. We shared so many wonderful experiences together as children. Through the war and tough times we always had each other. Thank you for all the wonderful memories we shared. Love you always Sheila xx

Brian and Ann
26.10.23
Shell miss our chats and fun
That we had in the garden.
Fond memories of a
Wonderful Neighbour.

To a truly wonderful uncle, who always made me smile. You have always been a warm, loving, and slightly bonkers person, who will be greatly missed. I remember when I was a child, how you always loved being the joker, and again with my own children, making them smile and laugh. Thank you xxx