Brian Wray’s Eulogy Brian was born on 6th April 1942 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, to parents Edith and Herbert. He had 2 elder brothers Dave who has sadly passed... and Derek. As a young boy, he enjoyed spending time with his dad who was a mechanic. This is where he developed a passion for anything with an engine, boats, motorbikes and in particular, fast cars. As a young man, he met Vivienne and they married in their 20’s and daughter Tracey was born in 1970. Shortly after, Brian & Vivienne parted amicably. He began a relationship with Patricia and 2nd daughter Lisa was born in 1972. He had 2 Grandchildren, Jamie, now 13 and Chloe who will shortly be 12. He’ll be watching over them for years to come as they mature into adults and make him proud. Brian spent most of his adult working life in the shoe manufacturing industry, and he and Patricia started their own business by opening a shoe factory based in London. He was a hard-working man and at the end of a working week, loved nothing more than to spend the weekend at their caravan in St Osyth. He had fond memories of times spent at the caravan with his mother & father-in-law (Sylvie and Harry), and with other family members. After spending many holidays in Torrevieja, Brian fell in love with the area and decided that a holiday just wasn’t long enough. So he and Patricia decided to take the plunge and move to sunny Spain to start a whole new life in the sunshine. Whilst in Spain Brian developed new interests.... He discovered a love of books and enjoyed a gruesome or action filled novel, often getting through 2 or 3 books a week. Also, to many people’s surprise (with him being a quiet reserved man), he developed quite a talent for karaoke and enjoyed singing some of his favourite country-music songs at the local bars. He loved spending time with his friends here in Spain and was sad to see some of them move back to the UK, but he kept in touch with them all. There’s one particular person that unexpectedly became special to him and was a tower of strength during difficult times..... one word says it all.... ‘Pear Crumble’. Brian always loved animals, particularly dogs and owned several in his lifetime. They were all special to him and each one had a special place in his heart. After 35 years together, in May of 2008 Brian and Pat finally got around to sealing the deal and tied the knot in a small wedding ceremony for close friends and family in the UK. Brian loved to keep active & busy in his spare time. He had skilled hands and always had a DIY project on the go... anything from renovating boats & vehicles to fitting kitchens & bathrooms. He took great pride in everything he did and paid meticulous attention to detail. Anybody that knew him well would know that food was a massive part of his life. He loved to eat out at the wok buffet, but his all-time favourite food was Indian. He loved a curry... the hotter, the better ! .... Unfortunately curry had an adverse effect on his stomach... To say he was ‘windy’ or ‘had gas’ would be an understatement! Brian was a quiet and generous man with a big heart and a great sense of humour. He loved his family & friends and looked forward to many years of retirement in Spain. But his time was cut short..... and his early departure from this world will leave a hole in the lives of people that loved him...which can never be filled. He’ll always remain close to us and people that have had their lives touched by him will carry a piece of him in their hearts. He will be greatly missed, forever cherished and always remembered. Another little flower for God’s heavenly garden.