Joe, Chris’ Eldest Son

First of all before I speak about Dad I’d like to thank everybody here today in taking the time out of your busy lives to be with us to celebrate our Fathers life and remember him with us. Some of you have travelled many miles to be here and it’s a great honour. I would also like to thank all our friends from the Lifepoint Church community who stood up and shared their personal memories and tributes to Dad during their fellowship on the first Sunday after he passed. This provided me immense warmth and comfort to know that what he was to me and our family he was to many others as well. My heart was filled by this where in the immediate aftermath of losing him I had felt a huge emptiness.

MY DAD

My Dad was always there to support me whenever… whatever. There were many times in my life especially in my teenage days, into young adulthood and further beyond when I struggled and he pulled me up to get me over the line. These are just a few of the ways in how he did this

– Driving me around my many paper rounds

– Making sure I was on time and reliable by driving me onto site and into college during my time training in the profession that I still rely on now

– Driving to Bristol one time late on a Friday night after I had got myself stranded on a journey back from my first solo, work related venture over the Bridge. I was 21, my young Family waiting for my return home. I was distraught and frustrated with myself for getting stranded, but he found me in a retail park, no SAT navs, no mobile phones, no internet banking, and armed with a fuel can full of fuel but also with no judgement or criticism…… Just Love Care and Support

– When Sam & I needed a push for Lucas Lofts to take the business onto the next level he saw that, we didn’t ask for it but he invested in us and helped us buy our first brand new set of vans – We never looked back

On reflection and he would agree wholeheartedly, he was able to be all this to me and us because of our Mother the woman who he loved immeasurably, the woman who he confided in and sought his own support from, the Woman who introduced him to God and his Faith. All of his and their important collective decisions were made through this faith for themselves and for us and I have found no fault in any of them.

Of course now you must be thinking “Nobody’s that perfect”…………. and you would be right

Dad did have a bit of a loose crazy side as well. Sadly… I’m only going to bring you one example of this but I assure you there are more

This was just last year…. where he managed to pick himself up a speeding ticket and a £100 fine due to accelerating from a standing start up to 40 in a 30 over probably less than a 100 yard stretch in his Skoda.

I had just left after we had been clearing out a hired storage container into my van on the Fforestfach industrial estate and he was to follow… While locking up he had decided that he needed to tell me where to put a metal bed frame on the car port area outside his house for the scrapman….. Why he had decided he needed to tell me this before we had inevitably met back up at his house some 5 or 6 minutes further on in time still boggles me to this day….. but on top of that why he also failed not to decide to just use his mobile phone and call me before he left….. No…… instead of those two completely rational options he decided the best way to tell me was to floor it in an attempt to catch me up…. How he was going to tell me once he caught me up further boggles me, and further more and also most importantly the fact that he had sped off in the opposite direction….. it made no sense….

I still have fits of laughter to myself and with Sam, and with Mum at the thought of him flooring it in the wrong direction for no particular urgent reason but also the thought and the memory of him sitting in his office for 4 hours while he completed his remotely delivered speed awareness course at the ripe old age of 76……………………… Rest assured we did take great pleasure in reminding him of this fiasco

on more than one occasion and we’ve all managed to laugh together with him at his own ideocracy

He also had traits that we would call “Dadisms”

Here are a few that I will always keep:

– Always kept cardboard box packaging

– Cupping of his ears in a noisy room

– Loud unexplained clapping of the hands… and his latest one

– Usage of the gas hob to heat the kitchen

Some of the other little Things I will remember about you Dad are these:

– Your love for life both yours and others

– Your love for Mum

– Your love for your family

– Your Laugh

– Your Flat cap

– Your hardwork

– Your care & support of people around you

Dad, I wouldn’t be where I am today without your unfailing love, support & care, you will always be a part of me and a role model until it is my own time. I take great comfort in your un-dying faith and the knowledge that you are now where you believed you always would be in the end.

I owe you an overwhelming gratitude from the bottom of my heart for being the person you were to me

Thank you Dad!

Anna, Chris’ Eldest Daughter

Dad you really were a wonderful dad

You sat and read to us as children at the end of a long day,

You always had a big hug and the right words to say.

Over the years you were always there,
And now your place at the table is bare.

You knew the hedgerow birds and could identify them by sight and their calls,
You were gentle with people and also with animals.

A fond memory I have is of you talking tenderly to the cows as you milked them.
And I know our Baxter will miss his walks with Bampa and the fuss you always made of him.

You were a dedicated Bampa and your grandchildren brought you so much joy,
You loved to play with them with their toys and always made lots of noise.

And as they grew you were interested in their lives,
And always offered words to them, which were always wise.

Your laughter and your presence always filled the room,
Life just seems a bit quieter now you are not here, but we won’t be filled with gloom.

We remember you fondly, your smile, your laughter, your pure zest for life, your love and care,

I’m so glad we had you in our lives, you filled us with love and always had so much of it to share.

So, when you walk in nature, breathe it in, appreciate the birdsong,
the colour of morning skies, the feeling of the sun on your face
And remember our dad, his smile, his laughter, his heart so full of grace.

We know that you are resting in Heaven’s peace now,

But we will miss you forever and to live life without you, is hard but we will figure it out somehow.

God took you home on a beautiful frosty winter’s morning,

You left suddenly and with no warning.

That day will be etched on our heart’s forever dad as the day we lost you and all you brought to this life,

You’ve left behind so many friends, your family, your beautiful wife.

So, rest in God’s arms in eternal peace, until we meet again someday

Heaven has gained an Angel with the biggest heart who we’ve gathered to celebrate today.

We will remember the memories we have of you and guard them in our hearts like treasure,

You really will be missed beyond measure.

Love you Dad forever.

Sam, Chris’ Youngest Son

Dad, I realise now that you were the richest man I’ve ever known but unlike others your currency was so much more precious than just coins and cash.

Your overwhelming wealth was in kindness, laughter and most of all love.

Like King Midas you had the golden touch and everyone whose life you have touched over the years now shines brighter because of it.

I am heartbroken that you are no longer here, I will miss the jokes, the windups, the loud shirts and most of all I will miss that world class laugh.

You were an atomic bomb of happiness, a volcano of joy and smiles with the power to cheer anyone up at any time or place.

I’m so proud to have known you and even prouder to be your son. I will go on living now taking your legacy of generosity with me as I do, spreading the wealth of kindness, laughter and love just as you did.

One thing is for certain, all of us here are that much richer just through the privilege of knowing you.

I love you Dad and I will miss you always. I guess it’s farewell for now until I see you again.

Today, however, is all about you, a celebration of everything Chris Lucas and a thank you for how happy you made all of us!

Lauren, Chris’ Granddaughter

Dear Bampa,

From a young age it was so clear to see that you were a man who had the biggest heart, the strongest hugs that spoke a thousand words, a smile and a laugh so contagious it filled every room. Everyone felt so safe and loved in your presence, but Bampa this still wasn’t enough, you were still taken from us so unexpectedly soon.

I just want to re live some of my favourite memories that I have with you.

I have fond memories of staying over yours and Nana’s house almost every weekend when I was little… coming down stairs in the morning, putting the croissants in the oven with you ready for breakfast before church on Sunday morning.

You were so fun, kind and gentle. You were always the punch line of Dad’s and uncle Sam’s jokes and would just sit back and take it with your cheeky grin.

Fighting over what radio station to play in the car – radio one or classical music. I usually always won with the help of Nana and got my choice, you would pretend to dislike it but I knew you wouldn’t mind.

Being my taxi man whenever I needed you, you’d always just laugh and say “just add it to the tab Lozzie Leigh”

You were the only person who could get a smile out of me whenever you wanted, you’d only have to say “where’s my smile” and it’d appear straight on my face.

Going to blockbusters on Saturday evening to pick a DVD with me alongside lots of popcorn and snacks.

Giving me cow bites in the car with your big farmers hands and poking and tickling me in the ribs.

I remember when I was young you’d come in to give me a kiss goodnight when I’d stay over, we had our own little routine of arguing over who loved each other more, you’d say I love you 10 I’d say I love you 20 then 25 then 1000 and it would go on. And one night you’d told me you loved me infinity, and said HA there’s nothing bigger than that. I looked at you and smiled and said I loved you infinity and one.

You laughed so much, give me my kiss goodnight and that was then our new thing.. I love you infinity and one. I know you’re with your Lord now Bamps, and that gives me comfort, but I wish we could’ve had you with us for a while longer. It still hurts knowing I’ll never see your smile again, hear your laugh or feel your warm hugs, it still doesn’t feel real. But these memories, they will live with me forever and I will always, always talk about you.

I never got to say goodbye properly, but one day I’ll be able to say hello again.

All my love

Your Lauren Xxx

Andrew, Chris’ Son-in-Law

It seemed like it was one of his missions in life to provoke a smile. Whether he convinced you to smile by telling you not too! tickled one out of you or just spread one with his infectious laughter he always succeeded. He was so good at it he will continue to do it as long as we remember his laugh, his smile or that shirt, which will be forever.

Mission accomplished Chris…

Noah, Chris’ Grandson

To Bamps,

Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha…(starting off the letter with a laugh because when ever we had a conversation it started off with a laugh from me, with either you loud claps, your never ending tickles or your contagious laugh).

Not having you around will be odd and different, but your input in my life and the way you would spread joy and happiness around, your ‘beautiful family’ quoted by Mike, we will carry that contagious joyness, and happiness will be lead throughout the family. Your memories of saving Levi form falling into the river and other heroic moments; or your statement ‘where’s your smile?’ and somehow make them or us smile! Love you so much BAMPS! You will always be remembered ALWAYS! xxx

Ps: Still texting you :-)

Noah xxx

Jacob, Chris’ Grandson

To Bamps,

I will forever love and cherish all the amazing loving funny memories we have like painting the garage and taking Luke down Llewelyn park.

We will never forget the position you had in all of our lives. I will forever love you and appreciate everything. To Bamps From Jacob x

Lois, Chris’ Granddaughter

To Bamps,

I will forever miss you, I loved your smile and laugh. I can always rely on you to make me laugh and smile. My fav memory with you is when you would always say “where’s my smile :-)” and I’ll always smile at you.

You made my days 100% better. Whenever I feel upset or down I’ll just think about you and I’ll either smile or laugh. You would always smile no matter what. i loved sleeping over yours and waking up and going to church with you and nana. I love you infinity and 2. I’ll forever miss you and I can’t wait to see you when I’m at the gates of heaven.

Love you so, so, so much – Lois xxxx :-)