Ian Michael John SPICER (29 Sep 1961 - 8 Mar 2019)

In loving memory of Ian Michael John SPICER who sadly passed away on 8th March 2019

Ian was born in Dewsbury on 29th September 1961 as Ian Michael Downes to mum Hannah and dad Wallace Arthur...known as Mick
His sisters were Kathleen Marie, Alice Patricia and Anne and brother Arthur. ...all older than Ian
He has 4 children....James, Jack, Jonathan and Britney
Ian’s dad Mick passed away when he was 2.
When very young he lived on 4th Avenue, Windybank, High town.
Sometime after dad died his mum met John Spicer, known as Jack whilst living with grandma Elkin.
Mum and Jack married when Ian was 8 or 9 and they lived on Morley street in Bradford. Jack was caretaker n mum cleaner of the blind centre and they all lived above the centre.
Sister Pat recalls Ian and niece Carol letting the budgie out of window.....but they got it back.
In 1970 Jack adopted Ian. Sister Pat said he doted on Ian and spoilt him
Age 12 family moved to 9th Avenue, Windybank, Hightown and Ian attended R M Grills school.
Later his dad became caretaker of Cleckheaton town hall and family moved next door. Ian then attended Moorland school then to Whitechapel middle school where best mate was Steven ShoeSmith. At 13 he attended Whitcliffe Mount and best mate was Steven Mullins
Ian was interested in motorbikes from a very early age. In fact his dad Jack, also a biker, got him his 1st bike....Honda cb50j...and nephew Barry recalls him crashing it at chain bar roundabout
After leaving school he worked at Foxton Dies in Cleckheaton.
Other jobs he had included Mintex...making brake pads, Flexitallic....as a fabricater.... and Ormandy ...as a pipe fitter and where he met a very good friend David Kaye who was his chargehand. Ian used to tease David about not being able to pronounce the group Lynrd Skynrd
His first marriage to Karen was a very short one.
He met his 2nd wife Judith in 1990 after being made redundant from Flexitallic. They lived with his parents for a while and they were expecting their first child James
They moved to Windybank just before James was born in 1991. They married in 1998. They had 4 children together....James, Jonathan, Jack and Britney. Ian was present at all their births and cried but his emotions overwhelmed him when his princess Britney was born. Ian loved all of his children but he had a special bond with his daughter. She was his princess and he was her king. She is a proper daddy’s girl.
Judith spent 20 years with Ian and split in 2010.
His children recall their dad picking them up on a weekend and going on days out to the seaside or theme parks etc.
His daughter recalls them always getting lost.....even with a sat nav
Ian went to live in the Plough in Mirfield when his sister Kath and husband Stuart ran it.
Whilst there he started up a bike club called the Muskrats...a small group of bikers who met at the Plough pub.
Ian loved biking. He was a lifelong biker. He had many bikes over the years including a Kawasaki z50 scorpion....which he passed his test on, black bomber, ninja 750 and Honda 650. He then got his pride and joy...Suzuki hayabusa....unfortunately in 2010 he had an accident when someone pulled out on him and injured him and wrote bike off.
His nephew Barry recalls many enjoyable trips to Isle of man. One year Ian’s Honda 650 wouldn’t start so they had to hire a bike over there. On their return Barry asked Ian if he checked for petrol and Ian was convinced be had....there was no petrol in the bike!!
Ian was a member for many years of team sober MCC Leeds. He went on many rallies with names like....fly in the eye rally, a newt in shining armour, soberfest, empty glass rally and in the dog house.
He often took his son James along to rallies. He recalls getting halfway to a rally and the bike breaking down and Ian had James pushing the bike in the rain.
The other great love of Ian’s was sea fishing. His best mate David Kaye recalls many good times spent fishing with Ian
He also fished with his nephew Barry on the east coast and various parts of the country. Barry recalls one time a group of them went to Holyhead and they all got kicked out of a bnb for being English
From 2013 Ian worked for Airline connections in Leeds transporting people to and from UK airports. He passed his PCV with them.

In 2016 he decided to move to Bridlington where he wanted to retire. This was a sentimental place he went as a child. where he worked as a coach driver for Esk valley coaches taking children to and from schools/ colleges.
He loved his job and made many friends. Everyone liked Ian. He was a friendly guy who got on with anyone. He also worked for Pearsons coaches doing excursions.
He shared a home with Tracy who worked as a support worker. He got himself another bike....Yamaha xj600...and him and Tracy rode all over the place in any weather.
Being in Bridlington meant he could also go fishing and he spent many hours on the harbour. His son James moved to Bridlington 5 months after him and he spent time with his dad walking on the front or fishing. Ian loved to sit by the harbour and watch the boats.
Ian loved the sea air and complained everytime he went to visit family in west Yorkshire that air quality was bad.
He loved Carl Fogarty and he went to the bike show in Birmingham regularly, again taking his son James on occasions . Last year he complained it wasn’t as good as usual.
His favourite TV shows were American pickers and the Chase , where he loved answering questions. He was a huge lover of films especially Marvel. He knew every film out and had watched every one. It was quite ironic that he passed away on the day Captain Marvel was released in cinemas. All his children share the same love of Marvel.

A couple of times, when work was slow in Bridlington, he went over to Dewsbury and worked for star coaches in Batley , taking people on excursions. The only thing is he missed Bridlington and ended up moving back. Just before he moved to Dewsbury the second time he went to the Dr with a lump in his neck, thinking it was gristle. Once in Dewsbury he had it confirmed he had got cancer. He then decided to return to Bridlington to spend the time he had left.
When he returned he moved back in with Tracy who became his full time carer and he had to finish working. He passed time away making models.. .he was working on a Suzuki hayabusa. He also went for walks and went fishing .
In Sept last year on his birthday his children visited to share his special day.
He started chemo in September but after a month he stopped it as it made him ill and he wanted to enjoy upcoming Xmas.
At Xmas , knowing it would be his last, he spared no expense and made sure it was the best. He spent Xmas day in Dewsbury with his nephew and children and boxing day with Tracy and her grandchildren. He spoiled everyone with gifts and decorated the flat like Santa’s grotto.
In January he began radiotherapy but after 3 sessions he stopped, again cos it made him ill. He knew this meant cancer would spread . His mobility got worse so nephew Barry bought him a scooter which he used daily to go to town and go fishing. He got a car to travel further afield but after a while he couldn’t drive. He was too tired.
He enjoyed his children visiting when they could and spoke on the phone regularly. He especially enjoyed the few days his son Jack came to stay with him. They always talked about Huddersfield Town FC .....their team....quite ironic Ian’s service is in the town of Huddersfield.

By the end of February he was housebound and sadly passed away peacefully and pain free on 8th March. His children came during his last week and two best friends, Paul and David plus his siblings and nephew Barry.
Ian loved all of his children so much. Ian was only 57. Taken too soon. Loved and missed by many. He was the kindest most caring man who would do anything for anyone.