Alsn Mather
01-08 2020 15:45
schreef:
Whilst I have the privilege of being married to Alan's niece Helen I only had the pleasure of meeting him twice because of oceans between the UK and Australia. The first occasion was in the summer of 2012 when Alan, Sue, Barbara and John came to the UK for Peter McCarthy's 70 birthday and we had a great few days all together at the White Hart pub in Bouth, southern Englush Lake District, a great pub that will forever hold special memories. I remember vividly how we connected as a family and how Alan wanted to spend quality time with Pete. Helen and I remember commenting that if fate had allowed us to grow up together in the country Alan and Sue wouldn't have just been our Uncle and Aunt but also our friends given our ages. Regrettably the second and last time we met Alan was in February 2013 when he came back to the UK for Peter's funeral. I know Helen was overwhelmed by this gesture and was typical of the generous, kind hearted man Alan was. Again during this sad time for us the bonds with Alan and Australia. The winter of 2013 was one of the coldest in recent memory but Alan coped admirably with the freezing temperatures, and integrated so easily into our lives, including watching Ben and Tom play football and coming to the Reebok Stadium to watch Bolton Wanderers Football Club. Helen and I are also so grateful for the kindness and hospitality extended by Alan and Sue to Ben when he came over to Australia for the Ashes in 2017/18. As Berny McCarthy has said, Alan really was a very kind and generous man and we will miss him so much. Reading all the tributes to Alan it is remarkable but not really surprising how often those two words, kind and generous, crop up. Erin Bicknall also makes a great point in her tribute to her uncle, that it was Alan who did so much to re-establish and cement the McCarthy family bonds between Australia, Canada and the UK for which Helen and I will be eternally thankful. It is heartbreaking, heartbreaking, that Alan has been taken from us so prematurely. We can only extend all our love to Sue, Brendan, Glenn, Stuart, Ashlie, the girls and extended family at this most awful of times.
Alan, Helen, Berny, Ben and Tom xxxx
Alsn Mather
01-08 2020 15:45
schreef:
Whilst I have the privilege of being married to Alan's niece Helen I only had the pleasure of meeting him twice because of oceans between the UK and Australia. The first occasion was in the summer of 2012 when Alan, Sue, Barbara and John came to the UK for Peter McCarthy's 70 birthday and we had a great few days all together at the White Hart pub in Bouth, southern Englush Lake District, a great pub that will forever hold special memories. I remember vividly how we connected as a family and how Alan wanted to spend quality time with Pete. Helen and I remember commenting that if fate had allowed us to grow up together in the country Alan and Sue wouldn't have just been our Uncle and Aunt but also our friends given our ages. Regrettably the second and last time we met Alan was in February 2013 when he came back to the UK for Peter's funeral. I know Helen was overwhelmed by this gesture and was typical of the generous, kind hearted man Alan was. Again during this sad time for us the bonds with Alan and Australia. The winter of 2013 was one of the coldest in recent memory but Alan coped admirably with the freezing temperatures, and integrated so easily into our lives, including watching Ben and Tom play football and coming to the Reebok Stadium to watch Bolton Wanderers Football Club. Helen and I are also so grateful for the kindness and hospitality extended by Alan and Sue to Ben when he came over to Australia for the Ashes in 2017/18. As Berny McCarthy has said, Alan really was a very kind and generous man and we will miss him so much. Reading all the tributes to Alan it is remarkable but not really surprising how often those two words, kind and generous, crop up. Erin Bicknall also makes a great point in her tribute to her uncle, that it was Alan who did so much to re-establish and cement the McCarthy family bonds between Australia, Canada and the UK for which Helen and I will be eternally thankful. It is heartbreaking, heartbreaking, that Alan has been taken from us so prematurely. We can only extend all our love to Sue, Brendan, Glenn, Stuart, Ashlie, the girls and extended family at this most awful of times.
Alan, Helen, Berny, Ben and Tom xxxx
