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Eulogy - Duncan Fothergill
Duncan Robert was born to Ian and Sandra on Wednesday 3rd May 1967 at 8.15 am in Emsworth, Hampshire. The family lived on the seafront on Hayling Island and he often lay in his pram in the sea air, obviously, this is where he got his love of sailing! After a few months they moved to Purbrook, but then moved to Banbury when he was about 18 months and settled into their house in Heron Way. While there he had an operation on his left eye to try and raise his droopy eyelid, but this was never fully successful. He was an intelligent child and full of mischief. He loved animals and when his cat Blackie had kittens, he was thrilled. The love of cats never faltered as he and Ali still have three. While living in Banbury his sister Diana was born and the two children lived happily, playing with their friends Pamela and Linda who were similar ages. When Duncan was five he went to Queensway School until the family moved up to Urmston.
He was very close to his ‘Big Grandad’ Robert as well as his cousins Alison, Julie and Jennifer who all lived nearby. His cousins Nicola and Ian lived in the south east as their dad Derek was in the RAF, but when they met, laughter was the order of the day.
In Urmston he started at Flixton Junior School where he was always in the top sets. He belonged to the Flixton cubs and scouts.
He and Diana were thrilled when the family welcomed his twin brothers Stuart and Rory in 1978 and later when Rebecca was born in 1980.
Holidays were a joy, especially when the whole family squeezed into their Volkswagen Variant estate car and went to Wales.
When in his teens he joined his parents at Greenfield church, Urmston and was baptised, becoming a cub leader when the twins were 7 and wearing his Baden Powell hat and uniform.
After gaining 10 GCE’s he started work at Independent Insurance in Sale, then relocating to Cheadle. He then moved to Allianz Insurance, first in Bolton and then in Manchester, where he became a Senior Insurance underwriter.
In 1990 he bought his first house in Lathom Street, Bury.
It was while he was there that he met his beloved wife Ali in 1992 and they married at St Thomas’s church in Bury in 1996. Ali remembers that to explain the scar on his leg (from his operation when he was 3) he told her that it was a war wound from the Vietnam War!
The Territorial Army formed a guard of honour, it was such a big part of his and Ali’s lives. They spent a wonderful honeymoon in Kenya and began their life together.
Ali and Duncan were delighted at the birth of their first son Alexander Robert in November 97 and their second son Kieran James in January 2000, and Ali and Duncan have brought them up to be caring young men who they were very proud of.
Duncan spent six months in Afghanistan with the TA from October 2010 – March 2011, where he was involved in erecting and maintaining communication masts. (But he did manage to get two weeks leave for Ali’s 40th birthday!) The comradeship and camaraderie of his unit have been a shining light and very important in his life for around thirty years.
They all moved from Bury to Winsford in 2001, then to Hindley in 2002, and finally to the house of their dreams in Radcliffe on 8th December 2014.
Sadly, last year, Duncan’s Dad passed away, and the family have a lasting memory of him giving the eulogy, so bravely.
Duncan celebrated his 48th birthday on 3rd May this year and he and Ali had their housewarming the day after. The following Thursday he was given the devastating news that he had a brain tumour.
When told at the hospital recently that he was dying, he said ‘let’s not have this negative thinking!’
Throughout his illness, he has borne all treatments with bravery and humour. His love for the family has shone through and this has been given back unconditionally. His fellow soldiers have been towers of strength since he has been ill and have supported him and Ali all these difficult months.
He passed away peacefully with military precision at 00 hundred hours on Sunday 25th October, watched over and loved so much for three days by his family and TA friends.
We thank God for Duncan’s life, now at rest with his Dad in Heaven. God bless him.
Warrant Officer Class II Duncan Fothergill
Squadron Sergeant Major at Wigan D(Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Squadron (Royal Mercian & Lancastrian Yeomanry)
2007-2011
Died 25th Oct 2015.
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