John Walter Smith (13 Jul 1943 - 3 Apr 2024)

in loving memory of John Walter Smith

Ingrid, Natalie and Morwenna,
Very sorry but it proved impossible for Clare and me to attend the funeral. We hope all went well. We're donating to the Woodland Trust in John's memory.

Remembering John from our first happy meeting in Kathmandu in 1973.

Remembering becoming good friends in Kathmandu in 1973!

Remembering John fondly - Jane, Jacob, Lucy, Barney, Kate and Michael Fairburn

In loving memory of John, we were always made welcome at number 10!
Love from
Laura, Rachel, Julien and family
xxx

In memory of a lovely person and a good friend.

John was a good friend to me over the past 50 years. We meet in 1974 both teaching at Budhanilkantha School, Nepal. We quickly discovered that we had a shared interests in walking, camping, and making the most of our free time in discovering more of Nepal. Here are just a few of our exploits. I left Nepal in October 1976.

By the second weekend John and Ingrid were taking me up a ‘hill’ at the back of the school called Shivapuri (2,732m – 8,963’). Although I was a good walking in the UK the altitude was something very different. That first trip up the ‘hill’ took us hours was for me exhausting. By the time I left John, and I were taking the pupils camping on the ‘hill’ and I was running up the ‘hill’ as part of the physical education programme.

When not working on a Saturday morning digging out sand from the local stream for long and high jump pits or enlarging terrace football pitches or making volleyball courts John, Ingrid and I, sometimes with Carol Evans would walk up the hill, along the ridge and then back down to the school. This was a regular thing to do in all weather conditions even during the monsoon. Then we would make sure that we took small damp bags of salt to get rid of leeches which enjoyed our blood! We often did not find out until after the walk that we were carrying extra life on us when we took our boots and socks off! But the orchids were amazing. So many different types and colours.

The ornithology of Nepal is also amazing with John inviting for a walk up Shivapuri one Robert Fleming Senior, an American educationalist who lived in Kathmandu. He wrote a definite book entitled ‘Birds of Nepal’ and kindly gave us both a signed copy.

In the first year of being a teacher at the school John was planning to visit the Everest area and I was invited to join him, Ingrid, Carol and two friends. So, the following February we flew in a Twin Otter to Lukla and then walked up to Namche Bazaar, the unofficial capital of the Khumba area. We then continued up into the area around Island Peak (6,189m - 20,305’) where we camped for several days enjoying the majestic views and no other tourists. That was an amazing trip, and the mountain views were spectacular. Great memories and such kindness from our guide. Camping at altitude was really challenging but the views looking up at Everest were amazing. Headaches were common but none of us were carried down to Lukla and flown out unlike the fate of several people we met enroute. While having a hot chocolate at the Everest View Hotel we viewed the bedrooms complete with oxygen masks by the beds and later that day we all saw the skull of a yeti at Tengboche Monastery.

Our next trip was to the Annapurna Sanctuary where we were surrounded by the Annapurna Mountains including Annapurna South (7,219m), Annapurna I (8,091m), Annapurna III (7,555m) and Machhapuchhre (6,933m). Another amazing camping trip with John and Ingrid and friends.

At school the RAF flew in a 20m portable swimming pool which John and the other staff helped me build. While only a metre deep we were able to teach many of the boys how to swim although floating insects on the water surface was always a problem. The school today has a ‘proper’ 25m pool for the students to enjoy.

As a VSO teacher earning approximately £20 per week, I did manage to run a small 50cc Honda motorbike, but John had a car and so John and Ingrid kindly took me to various places around the Kathmandu valley.

The Saturday visit to the Embassy Club was a regular weekly event with John driving Ingrid and I to the venue. Kurki rum and coke paid for by a ticket system was a regular weekly habit. It was at these evenings that we would have beetle drives, meet UK visitors passing through on their way north, met Prince Charles and members of the British & Nepalese Army team who successfully climbed Mount Everest in May 1976.

Besides their interesting company I often joined them for dinner where we would occasional try the latest liquor flown in .. I particularly enjoyed their banana liquor.

I left Nepal in October 1976 and returned overland to the UK to find a job. Within a few months I was engaged and asked John if he would be my best man. He agreed and Jane and I were married in a small Devon church on 23rd July 1977.

Jane and I have remained friends with John and Ingrid ever since and attended the wedding celebrations of both Nathalie and Morwenna and other anniversaries. We would also often call in to Portishead on our way to or from Cambridge when renovating an old cottage near Tiverton. We always enjoy their hospitality and openness. They were also so very sociable.

John was a good friend to both Jane and I and we enjoyed his company for many years.

David and Jane

Remembering happy times.

So very sorry to hear the news. Our thoughts are with Ingrid and family.

In memory of John, a good friend and former neighbour

Thank you for wonderful memories of desert camping trips. With our love Hilary and David

John was much loved my Mum and I, such sad news xxx

Our next-door neighbours and friends for over 40 years still missed

Fond memories of our desert adventures.