Funeral Address for Simon by his father
 
Simon was born on 9th April, 1973. Whilst he never sought the limelight, throughout his life, he often found himself in front of audiences.
 
And so it was that at his birth, he was an ‘undiagnosed breech’ . The nurse pressed the panic button and Simon came into this world, with an audience of several Trainee Doctors, who had never seen a breech birth before.
 
His early childhood was, as far as we can know, joyful and peaceful; and he was a loving child, demonstrative, cuddly and home-loving.
 
His Primary school, headmistress (a music teacher) discerned that he had perfect pitch and a wonderful singing voice. She recommended perhaps sending him to the Westminster Choir School. He was then 7 years old. When we floated that idea past him, Simon’s response tearfully, was to ask what fearfully heinous crime he had committed, that we wanted to send him away – as a punishment. .He did not go.
 
On moving to Hemel Hempstead, he went to St Columba’s College in St Albans. He was educated in a broad range of subjects, but most decidedly, he was encouraged to think independently.
 
At 13 because of his music abilities he chose to teach himself the guitar; he also decided to learn Karate and set himself the objective of becoming a Black Belt by the time he was 18. He achieved this aim, winning third place in the UK Junior National Championships and his guitar skills developed in the same vein.
 
He went to Uni at St Mary’s in Twickenham to do Classics. He put a few noses out of joint when, because of his voice, he was cast as the lead in his first year Musical (Joseph), - this was ahead of any of those studying Drama there, as their degree.
 
He met colleagues there, especially Nihal and Toby and they remained friends throughout their lives. 
 
In general -  in all things -  he had become the sort of person who when venturing to do anything - would give it his all and do it to the highest standards and skill level.
 
He decided that he wanted to go into the music and entertainment industry. So, to start he developed  DJ-ing skills, to generate cash. Then he became an A & R Scout for a record company. In this sphere he developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of music – (not to mention a collection of T shirts). He was the sort of guy you would want in your Pub Quiz team  - for the music round.
 
He increased his skills in music - building his own recording facility  and writing and recording music and doing re-mixes of new and existing releases, when asked.
 
All of this activity meant that he was out and about – long hours and multiple events, meetings, shows, previews and late-night performances. At one of the ‘after parties’ he met Sarah, who in 2012 would become his wife.
 
Before that event Simon’s career had taken a tangential swerve and he started to learn the skills needed to enable him to Manage Tours for Bands. After many trips with his Uni  friend Toby, he stepped out into the wild wicked world of Tour Managing – going solo. 
 
True to form he wanted to do this work at the highest level he could. He went on a technical course to develop his electrical knowledge and to gain skills in guitar repair and maintenance. Part of his unique package delivered to clients included being able to tune guitars for the performers, during sets on stage.
 
He also acquired his own Tour coach – the Burgundy Beast, a bespoke, comfortable, professional, media loaded, vehicle.
 
Through the the need to deal with Artistes’ Management and Venue Staff, he developed his communication skills and people skills, way beyond the normal; and a network of technicians and music suppliers who would help him in a crisis.
 
On one occasion he was travelling in Europe with a group for a pan European Tour. They left for Lyon by Tour Coach only to find that two important cases of equipment had been left behind at Calais Customs, including one with an important piece of electrical connectivity, needed for that night’s performance.
 
Whilst still travelling to Lyon on the Tour Bus, he was able to phone a friend  -  in France – describe the technicalities of the missing piece and get the friend to make it up and courier it to the venue, where it arrived in good time, before the night’s performance. And meanwhile, he had contacted Customs at Calais and convinced them that it was they who had negligently delayed the two cases, with the result that Customs paid for Couriers to get the cases to catch up with the Tour, in the South of France.
 
So, he became a desirable Tour Manager, and toured with larger and more famous Groups worldwide. (You know who you are). And along the way harvested more and more T shirts – becoming known to his friends as the “Man of 1000 T shirts.”
 
One of the most appropriate notes on his Tribute page from a Band Manager says: -
 
“Simon, thank you for being trustworthy, thorough and a good human, in a business where those traits are rare”
 
Most of all, his attitude to life and work, was to get enjoyment out of it. He would always meet you with a smile and cheery hello. If you became a friend, you were a friend forever and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for you. He would go out of his way to help - with no thought of recompense, other than ‘Thank you”
 
He always brought joy with him into any situation; and witty repartee; plus, a limitless fund or stories with which to captivate an audience, as a ‘raconteur extraordinaire’.
 
He would love to do his “racont-ing” over a meal. From an early age he had taken an interest in cooking and became very inventive. His meals had “added je ne sais quoi”; his Bolognaise was formidable and his steaks cooked to perfection. Whilst teetotal on Tour, a home meal often needed good red wine - a trait, that I think I may have had some hand in encouraging.
 
In about 2011 Simon became aware that he had inherited a significant Heart disease (Cardiomyopathy). Initially it did not have a great impact on him, but in 2018 a deterioration meant that he had to have an internal defibrillator fitted.
 
As he was preparing for that surgery another issue arose, which surgeons said they would look at after.  When they duly investigated, it turned out that Simon had Kidney Cancer of an aggressive kind and his right kidney had to be removed. But he still carried on working.
 
Sadly, the cancer later spread to his lungs and brain. He started immunotherapy, which was working for a while, but that treatment then started to overwhelm him. So, he changed to Oral Chemotherapy.
 
Meanwhile Coronavirus had invaded the UK. He and Sarah came to reside with us, his parents, last July, so that we could create an isolation hub and support him through his treatment.
 
Sadly, he had breathing difficulties at home, on 20th December and was hospitalised. The following day he was found to be COVID 19 positive and went onto ‘assisted respiration’. He seemed to be recovering up until 28th December, but he had a relapse overnight of 29th and died on 30th
 
If Simon’s Life has taught us anything – it is the way to love our fellow humans – please follow his example.
 
If Simon’s death has taught us anything, it is that we, the living, should tell our loved ones how we love them and what wonderful gifts they have; and we should tell them every day, while we have them.
 
Because this day will come for us all - and you do not want to be standing here and regretting that all the wonderful things they are – they did not hear - often enough, from your lips, while they were still with you.
 
So, please turn to your loved one NOW and tell them the good things that they are – and then remember to tell them for the rest of their lives – everyday - in memory of Simon   -   You won’t regret it.
 
Last March, I wrote a poem in my sadness. I will read you the last verse.
 
In the noon of our lives, comes the heralded evening
But the journey of life still goes on
He brightened our days, like the sun’s warming rays
We’ll never forget our dear son.
 
What a man of courage, resilience, determination, generosity, humour and wit. The world will miss him.