Leslie Stevenson (9 May 1925 - 22 Jul 2018)

In loving memory of Leslie Stevenson who sadly passed away on 22nd July 2018
We all know that Alzheimer’s robs sufferers of their memories, but I was reminded recently that it also robs us of our memories. Memories of times of fun and laughter are lost in the fog of the present reality of Alzheimer’s and the pressures and stresses it brings to us all.
When I think of dad I am reminded of some of the sayings that he had, sayings that show his wisdom and wit – (though I’m not sure whether he was aware of that at the time)
When we sat in front of the TV – in the days when you had to get up and turn a switch if you wanted to change channels – he would say about ITV that it “panders to the lowest common denominator” – in one pithy statement he was highlighting the fact that ITV didn’t make TV programs – it sold advertising! It made money by having adverts so the content of its programmes was designed to get a large audience to watch the adverts – He would have realised before most of us that Facebook wasn’t designed for us to share cat videos – it was designed to get as much data about us as it could to sell to advertisers and media companies. As dad also used to say “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”
Another phrase I remember him saying as he pointed out an article in the Guardian newspaper for me to read, was “it’s well within your capability” – and I think that dad would want to come alongside each one of us and gaze into our future as we are wondering what job to do or course to take and encourage us - go for it! Don’t let others put you down, don’t put yourself down either –“it’s well within your capability”
The third phrase I remember was at the breakfast table after I had taken the last piece of bread and overloaded it with jam, mum would look disapprovingly and say “Nigel!” – Dad would look up from his paper and say “well it is the crust” 
Sometimes life gives you a crust and the only way to eat it is with a great dollop of jam! So don’t feel bad when you just have to treat yourself every once in a while!
I came across this which I think sums up what we are hoping to do today:
“Death is a time for listening. Listening to friends, reading their words, listening to memories, hearing their music, listening to God in the quiet of my heart.
Death is a time for speaking. Telling the joys, memories past, telling of hopes, partly fulfilled; telling of growing and travelling, learning and finding, laughter and tears, a time for talk and a time for stories.
Death is a time for silence. When the words fail, sitting alone or quiet with my friends, watching or waiting, thinking and looking, the silence of prayer.
Death is a time for loving. Love never fails, love to the end; love all who love me and those who do not; love to heal wounds, love to accept, love to build bridges, love to forgive and know I’m forgiven. Love that is from God; God who is love; God who has first loved me.”
When I think of Dad (Grandpa) I want to lose the memories of him in Coundon Manor and remember the man who mended my friend’s bike when he hadn’t even asked him to, the man who taught the cubs about the motor car engine, bowled a cricket ball at me, taught me to swim…and allowed me to pile loads of jam on a