# Very sad news



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that dear old Tuggers (Tugboat) has passed away.

Both Jan and I were increasingly concerned about him having not heard form him for a fair few days despite several attempts to get in touch. Sadly from contacting one of his friends Jan just broke the tragic news to me that he passed away and was found in his armchair at home by one of his neighbours.

As you will know he recently suffered a big heart attack but was eventually discharged just before Christmas. I spoke to him on Christmas Day to try and cheer him up a bit and last time we emailed he sounded like he was doing ok.

I can remember when Tuggers burst onto the forum about 9 years ago and when I dont feel so devastated ill try and find some of his posts but we all quickly warmed to him and we became good friends. Despite him despairing of me at times, he was always there for me and I loved him.

Ellie has been adopted by one of his flying club members.

RIP my little salty seadog friend.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Oh gawd. Such a shock after the good news. Terrible news but thanks Baz.

Ray.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Feck………….


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Now I will tell you his beloved little Ellie has a very good home with one of his flying friends.
Here is what he says.

Hello Janet.
It is very sad news and a great shock.
Still find it hard to deal with at the moment.
Ellie is doing very well, it is like she has been here before. She has settled very well, knows where everything is and is very comfortable.
My partner and I have said to Geoff in the past that we would always look after Ellie if anything happened, we just didn't expect it to be so soon.
Ellie goes with me everywhere and is treated just the same as Geoff spoiled her, even up on the sofa for cuddles.


With photos


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear that news. Tuggy was quite a character and he'll be missed. I do hope it was quick and he didn't suffer.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Oh dear, that is very sad news, we shared many of the same experiences and places and he was always great to read and to be able to respond to.

Like Barry, I remember him coming onto MHF, a bit like a storm ruffles the water, his love of the sea made me warm to him very rapidly.

I am glad Ellie is settling in well - she was devoted to him and he to her.

RIP legend.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

That is very sad news indeed. 

I met Geoff a few years ago now at a MH show where we had parked up and camped next to each other. We had a good long chat and have kept in touch since. I last heard from him on Xmas Day where he was suitably chipper about the future.

RIP Geoff. A real gent.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Oh dear, I will miss the old bugger, It's taken a while to write this, too upset, I was one of the first to welcome Geoff onto the forum, I recall he said he felt it was warm and cosy in here (or similar) we never met but we had a few joyous chats on the phone, a lovely bloke with the greatest laughter, we often had a quick chat on Whatsapp, I mentioned on the 29th that I was going in for an Angiogram next Wednesday and his last reply was "Hope the procedure goes well" I sent him a happy new year message & a silly joke message on Tuesday both were not read so I suspected he might have gone back into hospital, but the last few times we spoke he sounded like he had about had enough, too much pain and no sign of it getting better.

RIP Geoff, your humour lingers on in my mind, the big man will keep you close.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

A shock and very sad to hear.

He was one of the members that felt in tune with, although we only communicated directly a few times.

I hope he had a G+T next to him when he went.

Jan and Barry thanks for finding out and posting the info.

RIP Geoff

From t'other Geoff


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

Sad news, may he rest in peace


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

A few photos of dear old Tuggers. I was raking through the motorhome Fruitcake archives and these were the only ones really that were suitable for family viewing. 

Tugs in his glory days skippering his ship










And pretending to be very important on the ships Radio phone.










Much later on. Laurel and Hardy










Of course I am sure he wont mind me posting one of the many "doctored" photos of him from when he started cycling. The story ran on Fruitcakes that he had Joined Team Sky on the 2017 tour de France with his little chopper. 

RIP "matey".


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

He had a sense of humour that would be the envy of very many people, even when he was the butt of the joke he always gave better than he got….

Thanks for the pictures.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

It was his laugh that got me. If you could get Tuggers laughing and he got to the stage where he couldnt stop it was just infectious and you would both end up in tears and it would go on for ages. I can still hear it now. I think it was something we both had in common trying to make people laugh and not minding a bit of pis$ taking (providing you were funny of course). Ill really miss him.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

This is one from 2018 with his beloved Ellie, the tugs that we all knew. Must say he was a very handsome skipper.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Smashing photo Jan. If anyone else has any please feel free to share. Yes he was quite proud of those pictures on the boat. I think he said something about him looking like a porn star.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

My abiding memory was most definitely his sharp and mostly gentle humour, he really tried to take Fruitcakes to a new level when you left him in charge whilst you were off gallivanting. Sadly even he realised he was flogging a dead horse.:wink2::wink2:
Did you really drink all his gin when you stayed with him? I’ll not mention the curtains here.:surprise::surprise:

One of life’s gentlemen.

RIP Tuggs,

Terry


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## fdhadi (May 9, 2005)

RIP Tuggs
Very sorry to hear this sad news. 
Another valued MHF member who will sadly missed.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

dghr272 said:


> My abiding memory was most definitely his sharp and mostly gentle humour, he really tried to take Fruitcakes to a new level when you left him in charge whilst you were off gallivanting. Sadly even he realised he was flogging a dead horse.:wink2::wink2:
> Did you really drink all his gin when you stayed with him? I'll not mention the curtains here.:surprise::surprise:
> 
> One of life's gentlemen.
> ...


Well what actually happened was I bought him a bottle of Gin at Newcastle Airport as a present. Then the flight got cancelled because of snow so I had to stay in the Airport hotel overnight. Of course I had already cleared security when I bought said Gin so I wouldn't be allowed to bring it back through with me in the morning for the next flight, so I drank it.  I almost missed the flight in the morning and felt too sick to try and rush and buy him a replacement so turned up hungover and empty handed.

He then made the mistake of saying "there is loads of booze in the Drinks cabinet, I never touch half of it, help yourself"  I did however eventually replace the Gin but he always conveniently left that bit out of the story.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

JanHank said:


> This is one from 2018 with his beloved Ellie, the tugs that we all knew. Must say he was a very handsome skipper.


Who suggested keeping him inside the electric fence ?

I would say "shocking" but such puns were beneath him, besides there is a whole "current thread" which he undoubtedly would have contributed to.

We will all miss his input, here and elsewhere, I am sure Ellie, Jayne and the whole family are devastated.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Penquin said:


> Who suggested keeping him inside the electric fence ?
> 
> I would say "shocking" but such puns were beneath him, besides there is a whole "current thread" which he undoubtedly would have contributed to.
> 
> We will all miss his input, here and elsewhere, I am sure Ellie, Jayne and the whole family are devastated.


Who is Jayne Dave? Are you muddling tugs with Alan.? Tugs never mentioned any family to me only his late Mother.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Typo, sorry…


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

He asked once how the phones call recorder worked and if how to use it so I rang him and just said some daft stuff, it is very short and I am rude to him as I knew it would make him laugh so you get that too, sadly it is the only time I recorded a call to him.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9tvjk7faj...447593050694_2021_08_09_08_33_02_[1].m4a?dl=0

And a picture


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

That photo I think was taken in the Lakes with Sandra, Myself and Albert. How did you get hold of it? In fact I might have took it.

There was of course a doctored version of that as well somewhere.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I think I may have nicked it off fruitcakes (I still look in from time to time) to wind him up, sure there was a purple version of it.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I did take it! I was never big on taking photographs. I prefer to live in the moment rather than be constantly snapping stuff but I kind of regret that now. Its definitely the lakes because thats a Cranstons cumberland Ring from Penrith. Took me a while but I found a few of the photos from that trip on an old hard drive. April 2016. Sandra, Albert, Tuggers and myself spent four or five days in the Lakes together. I think Tuggers got there first as I blew a hose on the way over and had to call the AA. When we eventually met up we went out for a ride on our scooters and I showed him around some of the twisties and hills before making him take me for a pint at the Howtown hotel.










It was also the first time we tried our Sevylor Kayaks. There was a long running thread before we went and we both ended up with one each. The funniest thing I remember was watching Tuggers maiden voyage where his attempts to get into the damned thing were about as graceful as his attempts to perform Swan Lake in his hobnail boots.  In fact I think he fell in. Sadly I think its maiden voyage was its last. :lol:

I think thats mine on the right. Tuggers boat will still look exactly like it came out of the box, mine however looks like its been down the Amazon and back again now.










The Black Widows










Ellie didnt mind the water but I dont think she was daft enough to get in the boat with him










I think this was the photo that ended up on Fruitcakes.










I wonder if there are any of the Croft Music meet. That was a cracking long weekend but some say what happened in Croft, stays in Croft..


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Just nicked this off Owners


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yes he got well into the model Airplane flying although he had a dodgy start. I was just reading an hilarious thread on FC where after he crashed plane number 1, he promptly got plane number 2 stuck up at the top of an 80 ft high tree. It was there for weeks. All sorts of tactics were deployed to get it down including drones and suggestions of sending little kiddies up after it.  I think he eventually did get it back. It must of cost him a fortune and he said if I ever came to stay again I would have to sleep in his van as his spare room was full of model planes. I reckon that was a cop out to keep me away from his Gin stash. 

Still, it was a hobby he really got into and I think he made some good friends at the flying club which of course is where Shaun who has adopted Ellie is from.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/38-uk-touring/179530-we-off-21.html*

I am in tears, both sad and laughter tears for my `Pardner´ If you have time to read, read this, it must be one of the best threads we have ever had, well certainly in the 7 years since I joined facts.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

JanHank said:


> I am in tears, both sad and laughter tears for my `Pardner´ If you have time to read, read this, it must be one of the best threads we have ever had, well certainly in the 7 years since I joined facts.


Link here Jan..

https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/38-uk-touring/179530-we-off-42.html#post2078754


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

dghr272 said:


> Link here Jan..
> 
> https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/38-uk-touring/179530-we-off-42.html#post2078754


Ah it didn´t give easy access in the Title. Thanks Terry.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I´m still reading it. Here is the ref. to the photo Kev gave us.

The first death threat is in the post, Dobson, you knobhead!

Fancy showing of piccie of someone using a fork the wrong way up. That is bang out of order. And is proof that it can't be me. Pah.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

This was his opening thread back in 2013. What great thread title. Ran to 14 pages.

https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/19-introductions/114435-i-get-impression-water-may-warm-here.html


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

barryd said:


> This was his opening thread back in 2013. What great thread title. Ran to 14 pages.
> 
> https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/19-introductions/114435-i-get-impression-water-may-warm-here.html


Typical, and look who was the first one to reply……


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

Very sad news.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Oh no, so sorry to hear this sad news  Does Sandra know?


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

patp said:


> Oh no, so sorry to hear this sad news  Does Sandra know?


Yes.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Just reminiscing! Is it just my imagination or were we all happier/healthier/less fraught in those days?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

So long as you didn't mention the yellow spring flowers


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Pudsey_Bear said:


> So long as you didn't mention the yellow spring flowers


Took me a few seconds to get the significance of that!


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## rws4711 (Mar 27, 2012)

Hi Jan,
So sorry to hear about your accident and I hope you will recover soon. You are certainly a very lucky lady, this could have been much worse. I am glad you seem to be in a very good hospital. As a German myself I know that the medical care is one of the best in Europe 
All the best from Down-under


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