A year without John Childs

[Phill Fenton]

It’s hard to believe it’s already a year on. I also think about John a lot. Occasionally an old thread re-surfaces and you read his comments – it’s like he’s still here.

My thoughts are also with Jenny, Ben and the rest of the family not forgetting Peter M.

[George Elsmore]

I too cannot believe it’s a year on I went to the sign show this year but it was not the same not chewing the fat with John, best regards to all his family

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Honored to have known him and deeply touched that he has actually been inside my house.
I think of him all the time. Even my oldest boy talks about him, he was instant pals with John.
Love…..Jill

[Shane Drew]

You echo my thoughts too friends.

John, Jenny and Peter M entertained me and my mate Dave whilst we stayed with them for a few days. His advice was always free, and he was also a good listener. His comments on the boards are sorely missed.

It was not widely known that during my visit to the UK I was struggling with pretty bad depression, with my medication at the time making me withdrawn and uncomfortable in crowds. I thought I hid it well, but John (and I think Peter M), were on to me from the start. He was a good friend to us all.

John appeared hard on the outside to those that didn’t know him well, but he was one of the most generous men I knew.

His hospitality and his advice will never be forgotten by me, and I suggest many others. The newbies on the boards are the real losers, because his experience, wit and advice will be hard, if not impossible to replace.

My thoughts are with the family and friends he left behind.

[Neil Davey]

Yes, hard to believe it’s a year gone by.
I didn’t know John very well personally but did have a good chat with him at Sign UK a couple of years ago.
He is sorely missed here and as Phill says I still read his input from older threads when they come up.
A true gentleman.
My thoughts go out to his family on what must be a difficult day.

[Peter Mindham]

I am sure I won’t be speaking out of turn if I tell you that I know the family would be touched by all the comments.

Although I haven’t been in touch with them for 11 months, I still hold them dear to me. I think of John every day at least once or twice and miss him a great deal. Life moves on and I know he would have something to say to me now to the effect of ‘get on with it and stop mooching around.’
I do, but it is difficult to do with so much still to get over. Time will help us all, and as silly as it sounds, I read his texts to me quite often and usually end up having a good laugh as he had such a good insight to life and the people who he shared his with on a day to day basis.

I lifted a glass to him last night and shed a tear.

Peter

[John Singh]

He was a very busy busy ‘man’
But the ‘person’ had time chat and listen

He had strong views like the rest of us but never seemed to be dogmatic

Its good to see we have not forgotten either him or his wit and charm

[Harry Cleary]

I think about John and his contribution all the time. He is much missed.
Inspirational, erudite and generous to a fault…as they say here ‘a better man never put a coat on his back’.

[Hugh Potter]

I can’t claim to have been best buddies or owt with John. I first met him at sign uk 06 (or 07) and we talked for ages, i dunno how he found time to talk with all of us for so long! other than that, I had a couple of deals with him and a number of phone calls were shared in which he poured great advice on me but, that was about it, so, it really does surprise me how often i think of him, he was a top bloke for sure.

funnily enough i was thinking of him on thursday last week, as i was replacing a load of heat team wrap, I was thinking that he must have been laughing his bits off watching me struggle to do what his fitters prob do in 20 minutes with their hands tied behind their backs!

cheers John.

Hugh

[Lynn Normington]

I can’t believe a year has gone, this must be an awful time for Jenny and the family and all of us who held him dear.

Lynn

[Nigel Pugh]

John gave me a lot of insight to the sign maker side of the business which in my job helped me so much to understand your side of the business a whole lot more. Always a gent and a great laugh too…….but a little scary when you first met John because he was a BIG GUY, guess he had to be to hold such a BIG HEART.

Regards
Nigel

[Robert Lambie]

I spoke about John a good few times at Sign UK this year. with both sign makers and suppliers. about funny stuff as well as in memory of the years we met up with him. One thing for sure, he is a sorely missed man.
R.I.P. big guy…

[Karl Williams]

I can’t believe it’s a year since Peter rang me to tell me the dreadful news.
I had to park up in the car when he told me, it just didn’t sound real.
His funeral was a very sad day but with the large gathering on the day showed just how respected the man was.

Rest in peace buddy. You were and always will be a good mate.

[Ben Childs]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say a big thank you to you all for your comments here. Indeed it still seems like yesterday that it all happened, the past 12 months have passed by so quickly it’s like a blur. Myself and my Mum went to his grave this evening and there were so many flowers left for him. It’s still overwhelming when we hear/ read comments like these and realise how many lives he enriched just by being himself. If I end up being half the man he was I will be more than happy.

The best are always taken early.

[Lynn Normington]

Ben your dad would have been very proud of you all, I am sure you appreciated him as much in life as well.

Lynn

[Derek Heron]

just like to add to the thread i regularly go back through posts researching bits and bobs and johns wisdom and wit keep appearing
best wishes to johns family and all who knew him

Derek