John William Wass (1 Sep 1928 - 4 Sep 2022)

In loving memory of John William Wass who sadly passed away on 4th September 2022

A well known business owner in Colchester, running the family business W.E. Wass, selling bicycles, fishing equipment and toys, John lived a full and meaningful life.

Born in Colchester in 1928 into a family that was not well off, John learnt early how to look after himself and contribute to the family as a whole at an early age.

He was educated at the Boys High School and was a good student.

As many people of his generation did, he left school and went into national service. He found the basic training hard, but once in his unit he enjoyed his time. He was involved in the Berlin Airlift, and toward the end of his statuary service, he was tested for a higher ranking post. But the family needed him to come back into the family business, to which he obliged.

He married Bette in 1952, and in time they had 2 children - Jaqueline and Catherine.

John continued to run the business with family members until 1999, when they closed the shop in Long Wyre Street and John retired at the age of 71.

Through his association with Raleigh Cycles, John and Bette had regularly travelled to many far flung and exotic places during the 1990's, and made some lifelong friends who had similar connections to Raleigh.

Once retired John and Bette continued to travel and explore - almost in the style of a student gap year - with their friends.

All the way through his life, we was very supportive and encouraging to his children: helping them out of scrapes; encouraging them to better themselves; supporting them in various hare-brained schemes and activities - one of which was to support Catherine in her international Powerlifting competitions, traveling with her to places such as Czechia, Ukraine and Argentina.

As the generations of his family expanded into grand children and great grandchildren, he took great pleasure in watching them develop and helping and playing with them as and when he could.

At the end of his life, he was visited and comforted by his extended family, and died peacefully at home.