This week we bid a sad farewell to a long standing member of our team and a good friend to many in the club and in the wider cricket community of the Southend area.
Inspirational in his long fight against pancreatic cancer and a tireless fund raiser to help research into this aggressive form of the disease.
Richard was escorted into the crematorium by a line up from the bowls club and a guard of honour of raised cricket bats. The instruction was to raise your bat like you're celebrating a hundred, for many of us this was unfamiliar ground although Dave seemed quite at home with the concept.
It was standing room only with several hundred mourners in attendance, a real testament to his popularity.
Richard had written his own eulogy, which was both moving and funny. There were some emotional and beautiful tributes from his family.
The music varied from Insomnia by Faithless, to the Blues Brothers Everydody Needs Somebody. The comital was accompanied by You'll Never walk Alone and then a referees whistle was blown to call full time on a life well lived, a very emotional moment.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life rang out as we left the chapel to go for drinks and a celebration that lasted all afternoon.
RIP Richard a good friend to Civic and sadly missed.
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