Ronald Crummey (26 Jun 1933 - 29 Dec 2022)

It’s touching to read the wonderful tributes to Ron. I only met him a few times but recall his warmth and humour.

In memory of a wonderful, kind-hearted man. The world will be less colourful without him xxx

A special limerick for Ron - a kind and big hearted gentleman who will be deeply missed x
There once was a fella called Ron,
whose coin stash weighed almost a tonne.
Birds were also his thing,
he loved hearing them sing
and his stamp collection was second to none!
xxxx

Our very carefully chosen photo of Dad on your order of service was how we wanted to remember him.

He loved Christmas and we feel so lucky that we have so many lovely memories of him at that special time of year, right up until this, his last Christmas.

When we were young, Dad often used to be Father Christmas. Driving around in a special sleigh, he delivered presents to the firemen’s children on Christmas Day. Very special for them, we had to wait all morning for Christmas to happen!

Dad loved a traditional Christmas, but we also had our own traditions. Auntie Eva’s pink bell decoration had to be hidden at Mandy’s for the boys to hunt out. We also like tricking Mum and Dad with fake Santa footprints one year and a fake owl on the bird table the next.

Always a believer in more is more, Dad loved Christmas decorations and lights, in fact light-up anything! He had Christmas badges, Santa hats, reindeer antlers and 12 Christmas jumpers!

In later years we always went to St Peter’s Church in Petersfield on Christmas Eve for the childrens nativity. Then we knew Christmas had started. Dad always wanted to wear his new and the “best” Christmas jumper.

Back in Barnet, Dad was involved in all the Christmas meals and outings that U3A and the RSPB put on.

And Lizzie, our lovely friend, arriving with home made mince pies was another important marker of the festive period.

We hope that everyone has some great memories of Dad, maybe dressed up for Christmas, maybe not.

Because Ron will always be (for life) “not just for Christmas”.

Dad loved prose and poems, so we have written this in a structure we think he would have liked. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

SPRING

Ron was born in the foothills of the Himalayas on 26th June 1933, as his father, a Royal Sergeant Major, was stationed there.
An army child meant moving around and after 4 years in India he lived in Plymouth and then beautiful Salisbury which was a natural playground for him, exploring rivers and fields and the local wildlife.

He moved to the Crummey family home in Barnet during the war years. Memories from then included collecting shrapnel, cracking his head on a “Morrison” table shelter and running up Bells Hill towards a parachute bomb!

No 10 Pepys Crescent was a huge part of Ron’s life. His sister Cyn was born there in 1948. Always a close family, aunties and uncles and then cousins all visited and sometimes lived there.

Not always the best schoolboy! Ron grew up in Barnet, joined the youth club, played cricket at Hadley and enjoyed Jazz and dancing at the drill hall, making lots of friends then that he still had decades later. He became a gardener after leaving school, and so started his love of gardening which stayed with him his whole life.

Then in 1951 started National Service, working on aircraft engines in the R.A.F, a change from the family Army tradition.
These were 3 very important years which made a huge impression on him. He always loved planes.

SUMMER

Ron became a fireman in 1959 and remained so for 26 years. He started at Potters Bar and enjoyed great camaraderie with fireman and ambulance drivers.. Obviously a very challenging job at times, so stress was released through various antics, jokes and nicknames (CrumBum, being Dad’s) and strong friendships were forged and cemented.

Ron had met Kath (a fellow Barnetonian) by now and knew from the start she was the one for him and in 1961 they got married. Though not well off, they had a very happy early marriage living in Enfield. Jackie, then Mandy were born here before they moved to Southgate. The 70s were a fun time with the “Coverack crowd” lots of socialising, parties, and sitting out on the communal balconies in the hot summer of ‘76. Ron’s interesting flavours of homemade wine were regularly tasted and shared, and we remember demijohns exploding in the understairs makeshift cellar!

Food and drink were a big part of Ron’s life; meals out, get togethers with Pat and Neil and the Stilwell family, dinner parties, celebrations and “plonky Sundays” with the “Crummey clan” were all great treats.
Later foreign holidays meant more foods to try, but it was always curry and cakes that got Ron to do a happy jig!

Holidays with friends and family were a thing that gave mum and dad great pleasure and Ron loved to combine a walk with fossil hunting in the early days, later bird spotting, a hobby he then got his son in law Andy in to. They got up to mischief
together on outings and the girls weren’t always told when Dad had tripped up again or got a wet foot in a pond! However, as they were both bad at keeping secrets we usually found out later as they slipped up on their story!.

We really loved holidaying together, which is one reason Mandy and Andy got married in Cyprus so we could all have a fun holiday abroad together with our friends as well!

As Immie, then Matt and Ben arrived, Dad was now ”gan gan” and he loved it. Lots of happy days out at farms, wildlife parks, gardens, the seaside and aircraft museums. Lots of birthday and Christmas celebrations.

Life was good.

AUTUMN

After Kath died very sadly aged only 67, Ron had to find a new way of living.
During this horrible time very good friends rallied around and soon he was a very active member of Potters Bar RSPB and later U3A. He always got huge enjoyment from birdwatching both locally and abroad. He booked many trips and holidays and was a lively participant in quizzes and socials.

Ron was always interested in lots of things, nature, history, music, gardening, exploring London, churches and stained glass. He always loved a joke, quick to find a funny one liner and definitely lifted the mood of many an occasion.Gordon and Deirdre were 2 of his most loyal friends at this time and through the years. His Barnet Café debating society gang were very important as they put the world to rights over cake and laughs!

But Ron was a real family man too. Regular visitor to Petersfield to be” Grandad” he met and charmed the “locals”. .Always a real softy when it came to his family, love and laughter were always on the agenda.


WINTER

After various health problems and hospital stays, Ron’s wings were clipped, but he was still independent, supported by his girls and his lovely neighbours Pauline and Tony. He was mostly at home ….. but Ron still found things to do. A collector his whole life, fossils, stamps, postcards ,lights, bird ornaments and finally his “shineys”.
His coin collection was his pride and joy, partly because of the history and importance of coins but also the links with the royal family, heraldry and the military.
Always a staunch royalist and lover of military pomp and circumstance Ron loved watching these on tv. Remembrance Sunday was particularly special to him and he loved the fact both his girls were born on the 11th November.
Ron could only birdwatch in the garden now, but with 10 birdfeeders and binoculars at the ready, he was still a super twitcher.
Tv was a great companion and entertainer to him. The highlight of the week was Monday when Andre Rieu was on. Luckily his mate Ernie rang him up to tell him what day of the week it was!

Ron had never wanted to leave No 10. The house had been built in 1929 and always lived in by the Crummeys. It had changed hugely over the years and the garden had been transformed by him, he had dug, planted and shaped, built a pond and had some beautiful plants and trees, and had also fallen in several of those prize specimens whist gardening!

But it was now time to move closer to his family, so they could look after him, and a wonderful local care home was found. He readjusted really quickly, he made new friends ‘his new gang’ and joined in with lots of activities, talks, quizzes, singing, games and P.E! He could sit in the garden and birdwatch again, so a straw hat and binoculars were always part of his outfit!
His carers or “keepers”really did care for him and he quickly got back his cheeky chappie label.

It was so sad that Dad did not get to live longer at the home, but his family got to see him more, got him back to visit our houses again, and in his last 6 months he went on mini bus trips to town for tea and cake, saw fireworks, had a Halloween party, a pantomime, Christmas carols and his first ever baby shower!

We are so pleased that Dad ended his long full valuable life being cared for and safe, knowing he was really loved.

For Ron from Ernie, Nick, Lu, Barbara and Barry

Fond memories of all the holidays, outings and evenings we spent together, Ron, Cath, Dorothy and I, and the meals we shared. He was my longest standing friend since 1961, always jolly, especially on Burns Night when he dressed up and addressed the haggis. He will be greatly missed.

I knew “Uncle” Ron from a very early age when our families lived next door to each other. He was always lovely and encouraged my in my hobbies, giving me my first fossil hammer and a couple of fossils he found which are still in my collection. Very sad he has passed but he will remembered fondly.

Always in our memories. X

So many memories of a lovely, warm-hearted, fun-loving and extremely cuddly man. From sharing love for little Pip the budgie to all the lifts you gave Jackie and I to and from nightclubs - even though you said we made the car smell like 'a tart's boudoir'! My favourite lift being one on most girl's bucket lists - a lift home in a fire engine! Love you, Mr C. From 'wickies. x

In loving memory of Ron...a man with a warm heart and great sense of fun. Who will be greatly missed. With love, Suzanne xx

In loving memory of Ron...a man of many smiles and a big warm heart. Xx

Dearest Jackie and Mandy

From the moment I first visited you in Pepys Crescent in those student days of the 80's your parents made me feel so welcome and part of the family.

Lime marmalade toast and copious cups of tea first thing in the morning, with your Mum and Dad chipping in to our conversations and making us laugh. Oh the banter and cheeky jokes!

Your Mum and Dad were such a team and sadly Ron lost Kath far too early. However, he amazed us all at how he coped and adapted to life without your Mum. Such courage during a time of such great loss.

I will always remember your Dad with such warm affection. His cheeky sense of humour and his lovely smile and the way he always called me Suzanney. I will miss him but feel blessed to have known him. Much love, Suzanne xxxx

Such a funny and kind man. Lots of happy memories. Rest in peace Ron. Love Gail & Rob x

Rest in eternal peace Uncle Ron, you truly were one in a million.
Sorry I can't be there to say a heartfelt farewell, but you truly are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sleep tight, God Bless xxxxxx

In loving memory of uncle Ron who will greatly missed.

Such a kind, happy and funny man, who will be greatly missed.

Lovely memories of Ron as a warm & friendly man with many interests and we will all miss him.

Pat, Neil, Shelley & John
xxxx

I'm very thankful to have had Ron as my Grandad.

The Pink Bell hunt was always great, I was always shocked at some of the precarious and dusty spots that Grandad managed to hide it in.

I have inherited from him a love of chocco and a love of collecting shinies, his were shiny coins, mine are shiny collector cards.

I loved watching Tom and Jerry with him which we would spend hours laughing at, a family memory is him watching French Tom and Jerry on a ferry to France and laughing hysterically at it in the bar.

Words don't really describe how much of an impact he has had on those close to him, he will be very missed.

All my love to the cheeky chap, Matt

Most of my favourite memories of Grandad reside in his garden. Me and Matt would have competitions of pulling up weeds from the fences and trees. We would then bring them inside and lay them out as long as possible some being 10 metres long and he would be just as invested in the competition as we were, giving a £5 note to the winner. We would spend a whole day clawing through bushes like it was a tropical jungle.

As much as I miss those memories, what I will miss the most is our Christmas tradition. Even if he was only here for a couple days he would make our house feel like a home. Whether it was the pink bell hunt (which also had a cash prize!) or sitting down to watch Arthur Christmas or some movie with minions in them, it was perfect.

In the end I am so glad and grateful that he was here for my entire childhood. I miss him and will continue to miss him for as long as I live.

Love you lots Grandad, Ben

In loving memory of my dear brother. Cynth

In loving memory of Cousin Ron. The Mackenzie Family

In loving memory of Cousin Ron. The Mackenzie Family