Passing of an old friend

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi All.
I received some sad news today, my old mate from my days at the Vindi in 1949 passed away last week. Arthur [Dick] Smith was my best mate back in my Vindi days we knocked about together for the three months we were there. Then of course we parted company for different ships and lost contact, Arthur went on to get his masters ticket.
About six years ago we were put in contact with each other via the Vindi Association and have been in touch since.
Six weeks ago Arthur got in touch to say that he had inoperable stomach cancer, and that he was taking his wife on a cruise to New York,
A week after their return he died, his son graciously informed me by e-mail this morning.
Calm seas old mate.
Des

redc.gif

[cappy]

much sympathy to you and your old mates family des.....we can change many things but we cannot avoid death ....he went from the vindi to being a ships master ...no mean feat ...i hope the rest of his life was so succesful.........regards cappy

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Cappy.
A funny thing is in talking in later years we discovered that he emigrated to NZ the same as I did, but he and his wife went to Wellington for five years, while we were in Auckland, he was in insurance and did very well for which I was glad.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Des, friends are the leaves on the tree of life, but sadly as with the tree they pass away. memories however last for ever.

[Doc Vernon]

Always so sad to loose a good old Friend Des
I know as I too have lost some really good mates in the past!
May he now rest in peace mate and his sails take him to those places he so well loved!
Take Care

[Charlie Hannah]

Condolences on the loss of a good mate Des,Also to his Family,on the loss of a loved one. R.i.p.

[j.sabourn]

Charlie one of the good things in life are friends, we mostly only realize this when they pass away. If fortuanate enough our greatest friend is our spouse and when there are signs of getting old and frail and no way to fight back is probably one of the worse nightmares in life. However another good thing in life is memories which no one can take away from you. Its amazing but even on the very short stretches of sleep I now get, whenever I dream it is nearly always memories of years ago, the faces are very familiar also their names in the dream, however when waking up cant remember the name just the face. So they are always there. Best way to look at death is, that's it just another form of life. They are always there alive or dead. Regards John S

[j.sabourn]

Sorry this reply was to#1. and should have read Des. Even my eyes are going now Cheers JS