Roy's funeral will be on Tuesday 11th Jan 1130 am at Weston Mill cemetery.

The procession will start from The Kings Arms pub (his son's) at 1100 am.

They have requested that no flowers to be sent but donations made to:

The BBC Devon Chestnut Appeal
BBC Radio Devon
PO Box 1034
Plymouth
Devon PLE 5BD

This a charity being sponsored by BBC Radio Devon to build a dedicated prostrate cancer unit at Derriford Hospital Plymouth. Devon radio have a web site and full details are on it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/community_life/features/chestnut_appeal_old.shtml

I want to share with you all a rather touching anecdote. I'm told that my Christmas card and letter arrived in time for "Nobby" to read and I'm moved very deeply to hear that shortly after reading and acknowledging he understood, he drifted into the eternal sleep.

Here is my letter in full:

December 22, 2004

My dear Rodney, (Nobby)

I thought that this short note would be a better way of expressing to you just how I feel knowing that you are experiencing some acute pain with the terrible illness you suffer. Indeed, our dear friend Kath Beare has been a great go-between in all of this and I was very concerned about your being released from hospice but I sense by the time you get this letter, you will be back there.

It's somewhat difficult to know truly what to say when we find a loved one in such despair and alone. I pray that you have the care and attention of your direct family, but not forgetting the extensive family that surely are thinking and praying at this time, the ex RMB family.

With much fondness and my memories are vivid of our time we shared together at Maxie's birthday party not many years ago. Your wit, your charm and your sincerity impressed me very much. I feel that I was very privileged to meet you and then we had the happy opportunity yet again at the 2003 reunion. What a blast that was eh!

Nobby, I understand that sooner or later we all must close this chapter in our lives. I just wanted to reach out to you and say that I am praying for you and that I'm thankful we became to know each other even though our age gap is so significant. The web site I believe is striving to put down those old boundaries that separated young from old. With all the magnificent stories from all ages, we are all the richer for sharing.

In closing, I hope that you don't suffer, that you had as good a Christmas as you could expect under the circumstances, and that I hope I have done all I can at this distance to alert our extended RMB family as to the need for them to be with you at this time.

God bless you dear mate! I think you have had a "Good run ashore".

Richie
(I fondly recall Roy addressing me this way)

PS: As Nobby would say "Cheers now - gone me"

Hello Rich,

Sadly I attended Nobby Slater's funeral to-day in Plymouth. It was standing room only in the church. Many having to stand at the back. His grandson read a tribute to his grandad which was both moving and full of humorous moments that they had shared. An e-mail from Maxi Beare in New Zealand was also read out.

Myself , Derek Scott, and Alan Johnson, where the only ex RMB's that I saw although more could have been there. We gave our condolences to his son Kevin and from all in the service who were unable to attend. A rather strange coincidence this week. I was reading my local paper on record fish caught in the west country, and I saw "record for Bass 18 pounds plus, R Slater of Plymouth." This fact was read out by his grandson so R Slater will be spoken by many a fisherman for many years to come. A fact that I am sure Nobby would be very Proud of.

The West Country re-union is going well some 60 people requesting tickets so far.

Cheers Pete. (Westaway)