Warwickshire News Mine

Over 200 mourners filled the church as the hearse was brought in between two fire appliances.  The cortege was lead by the Warwickshire Colour which attends the funerals of serving and retired firefighters and went through a guard of honour of fellow firefighters.

Pallbearers were firefighter colleagues Louis Brown, Chris Woodward, Mark Robinson, Joel Edwards, Paul McMinn and crew manager Alan Dance.  John’s seven year old stepson, Ciaran, carried John’s cap behind the pallbearers.

Tributes were paid in church by Glen Ranger, assistant county fire officer, Paul Bagnall, station manager at Coleshill Fire Station and John’s 20 year old daughter Katie who gave a moving eulogy, ‘Remembering Dad’.

Hymns sang were ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ and ‘Jerusalem’, readings included ‘Footprints’, Romans Chapter 8 verses 28-39 and the poem ‘The Fireman’, read by Fire Fighter Eliot Dingwell.

Music for reflection was Luther Vandross’ ‘Dance with my father’.  The address was delivered by Canon Stephen Mayes, vicar of Water Orton.

Karen Moore, who lived with John and her daughters Sian and Paige and son Ciaran, said:  “There was a magnificent turnout which I know John would have been pleased by.  I’m very humbled by how many people were here with us.  The number of people at the church and outside showed what a busy man he was in the community with all the work he did for the Fire Service as well as the friendly, lovable man who still couldn’t say no to anyone outside of work.”

Any readers who knew John and would like to make a donation can, at the family’s request, contribute to Coleshill fire station for a memorial in the garden.

Link to WCC