Jeff Horwood 1934-2023

Jeff was the eldest of three brothers living in Richmond and then Sutton. He developed a passion for growing fruit and veg and was attracted to anything in wood. He married his wife Joan in 1958 and later moved to Midsomer Norton Somerset as a manager for a printing company, where he stayed until he took early retirement in 1994. Jeff & Joan moved to Budleigh Salterton in 2002 where he continued with his hobbies of everything in wood, gardening and badminton.

In the later years Jeff became Joan’s carer and with her failing health Joan sadly passed away in March 2022.

Jeff moved to Fareham in October 2022 to live nearer his daughter Kerry and her family. He did not waste any time and joined our shed just before Christmas 2022. Unfortunately he never got to enjoy the full amenities of the shed for long due to our sudden closure in January. However he was very impressed with the large nutcracker that he had noticed in the theatres store area. On his next visit he brought the nutcracker that he had made so he could be photographed next to the life size model holding it!

Jeff was always keen to join us at the WI hall every Thursday. He was a real gentleman and with his limited mobility was always so grateful to everyone for helping him get settled in and fetching that important cup of coffee, but it was always most important that he paid for it! His warm manner made it easy for him to make friends and talk with everyone. He would take part in the quizzes and sit quietly while everyone was chipping in with the easy answers and then, when it went quiet with the more difficult questions would just casually chip in with the correct answer!

A short poem that was read at Jeff's eulogoy, unfortunately I cannot attribute it to anybody as I cannot find who wrote it, but from the short time that we knew Jeff it seems to sum him up perfectly:

There's a handyman in heaven now
Who built his life on dreams.
No tasks, no chores, no obstacles.
But loved the challenge of extremes
A caring, honest provider
That unselfishly gave his all,
A heart of gold and hands of steel
That responded to the call.
A Husband, a Dad, a Granddad too,
A reliable person of integrity
That all wanted and enjoyed as a friend.
There’s a handy man in Heaven now
Who’s fixing Heaven’s gate,
Oiling the hinges with pride and care,
So that they will open for all who wait

Jeff would have made a good mentor in the workshop but is wasn't to be and he sadly passed away after developing pneumonia while in hospital for his prostate cancer.
RIP. Gentleman Jeff