DAVID PAUL RADFORD (18 Aug 1977 - 30 Oct 2015)

Funeral Tribute:

David Paul Radford was born on 18th August 1977 eldest son to Beverley and Dave and older Brother to Lisa & Paul. Rad spent his whole life here in Bulwell attending Bonington Nursery, Infants & Juniors before going on to Henry Mellish. On leaving school Rad took an apprenticeship at Whimpeys as a bricklayer which he didn't enjoy so he moved on to a new job in Nottingham with Hide & Skin - the slaughter house. He loved that job. I guess there aren't many people who would come home from work covered in flea bites and would take pride in that, showing the bites off to everybody, but Rad did. He was made redundant which was tough at the time but meant he got to move on and at the age of 18 he started working for Peter Smith Valve Company. During 20 years with the same company Rad worked his way up to become Despatch Manager. This job was ideal for Rad for two reasons; it meant he could be in charge, Rad loved being in charge! And it meant he could be in control of his box ticking sheets! He loved his job and made some fantastic friends who are here today. At work he was funny but fair. For the last 20 years he probably spent more time with Matt than he did with his family. Actually the family described Rad as being married to Matt during the day before coming home to the family. For all those years Rad insisted on taking 6 cheese sandwiches to work and only recently admitted that every day he gave 2 of them to Matt.

But let's go back again to Rad's childhood where he discovered his main passion in life.... football. At 12 years of age he was coached at Junior Reds at the Forest Ground. He went on to play for Monty Hind in Clifton and during this time there was a football tournament for England School Boys. They were up against 240 teams. The plan was to be away for the tournament for 3 days but because they kept on winning they had to stay longer. By the end of the week Rad's team had made it to the final but lost 1-0 to a Liverpool team. Footballing cost his Dad Dave a fortune in taking him to matches all round the country and staying during tournaments, but the trophy cabinet shows just how much it was worth it.

After Monty Hind Rad played for the Framesmiths Arms, Bulwell Rangers, Newstead Abbey and the Horseshoe Inn. Many of his trophies are for player of the year. But not only did he play football Rad knew just about everything there was to know about the game. In a quiz he knew every football question going, but of course his loyalties rested with Forest.

Friday nights were pub night. Every Friday Rad could be found with his parents at the pub, and when they moved on to another pub Rad went with them taking his mates with him. Family were important to him and he was honoured to be best man at Paul & Lynsey's wedding in this church 2 years ago. But more from Paul & Lisa later.

In 2000 David met Sarah at the Horseshoe Inn. It was a Red Nose Day charity night where Dad Dave had agreed to have his hair shaved off. Other people got on board with it and Sarah's first words to Rad were "What about you, why don't you have your head shaved?", to which Rad replied ....... Well actually his words probably shouldn't be repeated in church!

Perhaps he was afraid of looking stupid so rather than asking Sarah out on a date Rad passed her a piece of paper saying "will you go out with me" with a Yes and No box to tick! He refused to look at it in front of her but the loud "Yes" he expressed as he looked at the answer showed he was happy with her decision. Their relationship grew and so they moved in together where Rad became Stepdad to Marcus, Pierce & Lewis. In 2003 the family was complete with the birth of Lauren, and Rad settled down as a family man.

As a family they enjoyed going on holiday and this year enjoyed a holiday in Turkey. Rad loved animals, especially his boy Albert. Albert was a gift for Lauren and to begin with Rad refused to admit that he liked such a small dog, but over time Rad and Albert became inseparable. He would carry Albert under his arm and when challenged by shopkeepers about bringing a dog into a shop Rad would simply tell them he wasn't a dog he was an owl. Well there's not a lot you can say to that, and Rad having an answer for everything got away with it every time. Albert always knew when it was time for Rad to return from work and would be sitting waiting for him. Apparently the dog used to get more attention than Sarah did. And of course like his Dad, Albert too had to have his very own Forest shirt.

So what was Rad like as a person. Well he was spoilt rotten by his Mum. He could be really mardy but he was very funny, caring and sentimental. He was very set in his ways and liked things to stay the same - he walked out on Sarah one evening for putting sweetcorn on his dinner plate! He loved watching Only Fools and Horses again and again and again. He was a real joker and managed to see the funny side in everything and played countless practical jokes on people. He either made you laugh or made you cry, there was no in between with Rad. He liked adventure and thought nothing of nipping to Glasgow then disappearing, like others would if going out to a local shop. Rad loved being the centre of attention and if it was someone else's special occasion one way or another he would bring it round to being about him.

Well today, sadly it is all about him.

Thank you to everyone here today for paying tribute to my brother David (Rad as most of you knew him)

His life was sadly cut short on that morning, who knew what that day was about to bring.

Remembering our childhood growing up with David as an older brother was always fun, but mischief was just around the corner. Him being the oldest we let him take the blame!

Growing up David always had me in tears, they was always tears of laughter now mixed with tears of sadness because I want my brother back.

David was up for anything especially if drink was involved he took life in his stride & for that I respect him.

Life won't be the same without you bro but I know you will always be by my side still making me laugh because your stories live on. I can still feel you & your nose on my cheek this gives me strength and courage to carry on.

You may be gone but your memory will live on in us forever.

I'll love you always bro.

"My Hero"

You held my hand
When I was small
You caught me when I fell
You're the hero of my childhood
And my later years as well

And every time I think of you
My heart still fills with pride
Though I'll always miss you Bro
I know you're by my side

In laughter and in sorrow
In sunshine and through rain
I know you're watching over me
Until we meet again

Family tribute

It's really hard to sum up a few words about David because he had so many good qualities. But over the last few weeks people have said the same things to me;

"He was always smiling"
"He was so funny"

And he was. It says a lot about a person who can take life for what it is and enjoy it.

Anyone who knew Rad knows that all he wanted was to be around his family and friends and to see them happy. Everyone had a nickname or a funny story about them - and you all knew it. He'd bring you in on the joke as well!

For me, if ever there was a funny memory or an old film from when we were kids I'd phone or text him so we could laugh about it together.

There are so many funny stories and jokes. But for every one of them if I share it I know there'll only be certain people here who knew the joke. And every one of you will have your own stories that are just as funny if you were there at the time.

You had to be there to see Rad's little smirk. His happy smile as he made a room full of people laugh. It's what he loved to do.

I moved away from Nottingham and I sometimes wondered why my Brother was so happy to stay in Bulwell. Now I've realised why;

His world was filled with the most decent, caring people you could ever meet and they all loved him. He didn't need to go anywhere because he'd surrounded himself with everything he could ever need. I believe the reason he was always smiling was because of the people in this room.

So I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for being a part of my Brother's life and making it everything he wanted it to be.

Feel no guilt in laughter, he'd know how much you cared
Feel no sorrow in a smile that he is not here to share
You cannot grieve forever, he would not want you to
He'd hope that you could carry on the way you always do
So, talk about the good times and the way you showed you cared
The days you spent together, all the happiness you shared
Let memories surround you, a word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day
That brings him back as clearly as though he were still here
And fills you with the feeling that he is always near
For if you keep these moments, you will never be apart
And he will live forever locked safely in your heart

Radford you will sadly be missed by us all the memories we had as youngsters will always be remembered especially all the things we did to Sam and now your up there with him you can laugh and joke about them but still you will never be forgotten mate R.I.P Buddy xx

We little knew that morning that
God was going to call your name
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same

It broke our heart to lose you
You did not go alone
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home

You left us peaceful memories
Your love is still our guide
And though we cannot see you
You are always by our side

Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same
But as God calls us one by one
The chain will link again

Always had good memories with a man who's laugh could light up a room.