Don Wootton (7 Jul 1945 - 29 Apr 2025)

Funeral Director

Location
Surrey & Sussex Crematorium Balcombe Road Crawley RH10 3NQ
Date
23rd May 2025
Time
3.45pm
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Location
Betchworth Park Golf Club Dorking RH4 1NZ
Date
23rd May 2025
Time
5pm

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In loving memory of Don Wootton

The service is at 3.45pm at Surrey and Sussex Crematorium followed by food and drinks at his beloved Betchworth Golf Club.
For anyone unable to attend, the service will be live-streamed - details for this will be sent closer to the day.

We would like the funeral to be a bright, celebration of Don's life so please wear Spring colours not black.

Links to the venues are on this page.

If you wanted to send flowers, we would prefer donations to the Royal Brompton and Harefield Charity who gave us a precious nine more years with Don.
Please copy this link into your browser:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/don-wootton

If you would like to watch Don's service at home please copy this link into your browser-

https://www.wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view

Use the PIN number below to access the webcast-
Webcast Login PIN 445-5632

Thank you from the extended Wootton family.

Margaret Fricker wrote

In loving memory of a dear cousin we only had the privilege of meeting twice. We wish we had known you better dear Don. Our prayers are with dear Pam, Toby, Geoff and all your families. Sending our love, Terry and Margaret

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Eddie Foster wrote

Sorry we can’t attend. Don was a great guy and very helpful to Chris and I in our India/Sri Lanka days. Best wishes to Pam and the family!

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Roger Bennett wrote

We joined Betchworth Park GC about the same time and therefore I have had the pleasure of Don's company for many rounds of golf. He was a true gentle gentleman who will be sorely missed by family and friends. For what Don has been through over the last decade he has been an inspiration to everyone who has been fortunate to have known him for which his memory will last for ever.

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Martin Nielsen wrote

Sadly and I are sad that we will not be able to join the celebration of Don's life with his family, former colleagues and many friends, although I do plan to join on line for a few moments of quiet reflection.

Although we had little opportunity to mix socially, I remember Don at work as an outstanding professional, and particularly to recall that he was invariably calm, patient and good humoured. Sally and I will be thinking about him and his family throughout today. Good rest.

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John & Brenda Brennan is attending the funeral and the reception
Alicia Osland wrote

My family and I are hoping to watch the livestream from Canada but we can't find the link to it anywhere. Does anyone know how/where to get the livestream link? Thank you

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  • I have also been unable to learn livestream details.

    Posted by Paul on 23/05/2025 Report abuse
  • This has been added now. Best wishes

    Posted by Geoff on 23/05/2025 Report abuse
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Simon and Julia Thomas is attending the funeral and the reception
Jonathan Meigh wrote

Elaine and I first met Don in Mombasa in 1976 when we came for 3 days to stay with Alan Cooper. I had just finished 4 months in Dar Es Salaam on Site Investigations and Elaine had come out for a holiday. Don was so friendly and welcoming when we met him at the Mombasa Club.
Later I was to work with Don in Redhill and then Reigate and appreciated his sense of humour and his concern for the Engineers working with us. Our thoughts are with Pam and family we wish to offer our condolences for their loss. Jonathan and Elaine.

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Natalie White is attending the funeral and the reception
IAN GEORGE wrote

Don was my first boss when I joined Bertlin & Partners as an undergraduate in 1988. I have very fond memories of my time there and Don gave me my first opportunity to work overseas when he offered me the chance to go to Tanzania - I had to look up where it was in an Atlas! He was a great boss and mentor and his way of balancing a love of life and pride in being an engineer is something I've tried to emulate in my life.

I am sure there are many more like me, whose lives have been made richer having met Don. Rest In Peace Don and Thank You!

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Richard Perkins wrote

Don was a good and loyal friend of over 50 years standing. If I needed thoughtful, sound advice, I could always rely on Don. I especially admired the way that he lived the nearly 10 years extra life granted by the Harefield Hospital. It must have been so rewarding to his medical team and certainly was an inspiration to me. So many happy memories, I shall miss him tremendously.

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john mahoney posted a picture
In Kandy our dress code was a dinner jacket and a Sarong! Don always joined in the fun and was much better behaved than many of us ❤️

In Kandy our dress code was a dinner jacket and a Sarong! Don always joined in the fun and was much better behaved than many of us ❤️

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Richard Perkins is attending the funeral and the reception
john mahoney posted a picture
Don was a winner 🏆 at our Kandy tour

Don was a winner 🏆 at our Kandy tour

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john mahoney posted a picture
Don always attended our Sri Lanka golf events

Don always attended our Sri Lanka golf events

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john mahoney wrote

Don Wootton Obituary

Don was an active member of our golf society (the Norfolk and Good Golf Society) in Sri Lanka. The Society was founded in 2002 to enable expats book golf at Royal Colombo Golf Club. It grew very rapidly to over 50 members and is still active.

Don worked in Sri Lanka on the Colombo Port project for many years. He worked with one of our members who said he was really successful in the development of the new port and created a great atmosphere for all who worked for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

He became an active member of our Society. He was well liked, loved his golf and regularly joined us on our “up Country” golf trips to Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. He was a winner on one tour. He was great fun and was seen as one of the more sensible members. He was kind, unflappable and a good friend to many of us.

Don was going to join us at our UK reunion in Leighton Buzzard on 1 June 2025 but illness forced him to postpone his attendance due to radiotherapy treatment. In February he told us he would delay confirmation for a month or so. It was with great sadness we learned of his passing on 29 April 2025.

He will be remembered with great fondness by many of us (now based across the world) and will be sadly missed.

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Martin and Patricia Edge is attending the funeral and the reception
Nirosha & Vince Howell is attending the funeral and the reception
Sandra White is attending the funeral
Alison and Paul Howe is attending the funeral and the reception
Paul Bishop is attending the funeral
Kevin Mathers is attending the funeral and the reception
Scott & Anna Long is attending the reception
Jay Jaipal wrote

Jayashree and I are deeply saddened to hear of Don's passing. We knew him and Pam since the 1970s in Mombasa, Kenya, and again in Reigate. We had a lot of fun, and I last met him in Colombo when we were competitors bidding for the job that he later won and directed! We extend our condolences to the extended family, and regret that our own infirmities and distance preclude our attendance at the funeral service but will watch the live stream.

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Mark and Yasmin Hynes is attending the funeral and the reception
Peter Neville-jones wrote

I very much enjoyed working with Don in Sri Lanka, where he was most respected by all who worked with him, in Government, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Asian Development Bank, LHI and RDC. He made a significant impact on the development of the Port and the prosperity of the country.
Don ran an effective and friendly office, setting up the Colombo Port Project to achieve great success.
He inspired great loyalty from his staff, who will be saddened to know he is no longer with us, as am I.

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Catherine Plumpton is attending the funeral and the reception
James Hogg is attending the funeral and the reception
Sandy and Sarah Ballingal wrote

Such a sad loss - We will miss Don’s positive presence in our community. I will think of him whenever I bake brownies! Sending our sympathy and condolences to Pam and the family xxx

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Sandy and Sarah Ballingal is attending the funeral and the reception