Richard Edward Chater (19 Dec 1937 - 31 Mar 2026)

In loving memory of Richard Edward Chater who sadly passed away on 31st March 2026Dick was born in Leeds, but the family soon moved to Doncaster. He was proud to be a Yorkshire man.
His father was Percy Arthur known as Pete and his mother Gladys Gabrielle, always known as Gabrielle.
Dick was the middle of 3 sons. There was only 18 months between Dick and the eldest, Robert, but seven years between Dick and John.
He went to Doncaster Grammar School but in mid-teens the family moved to Cardiff, and he continued studies in grammar school there. He spent a year at Imperial College London reading chemical engineering, but the emphasis was on Chemistry and Dick was always an engineer at heart.
He joined the Austin motor company and started a four-year sandwich course, graduating with a degree in production engineering from the University of Aston.
Dick soon moved into the Purchasing department and his career flourished throughout the many changes of ownership of the company.
His next move was to LDV - the vans division of Leyland - where he was Purchase Director. After the company’s change of ownership to Dutch-owned DAF, he spent much time in Eindhoven.
Fortuitously, just before the closure of that business, he moved as Purchase Director as Blue Circle Domestic Products. No, not cement, but their home products division including companies such as Armitage Shanks, Potterton Myson, and Ceramica in France.
Dick met Buffy while on holiday in Saundersfoot. Dick was 17 and living in Cardiff at that time.
They married as soon as their studies were over.
Dick was very much a family man. He was immensely proud of his daughter Jenny and son Philip and was pleased when his family increased: first following Jenny’s marriage to Steve and then the birth of two granddaughters, Emma and Isobel. Phil’s marriage to Alex, who he’d had known since she was 18, followed, and Dick was delighted when his grandson Will was born and then a granddaughter Anna.
Losing Jenny to MND was a massive blow to Dick and the whole family. However, in the following years he was thrilled to be able to celebrate Emma’s marriage to Rory and Isobel’s marriage to Jonty, welcome additions to the family.
Dick was very generous both to his family and to others in need. He was kind and caring. He was very determined and never gave in. Whatever the problem, he always faced it head on in a stoic, practical way. He was quick to laugh, but rarely burdened others with his own feelings when feeling low, even in the toughest times. Though hunger could definitely make him a little grumpy!
Dick, whilst extremely fit and active, overcame peritonitis, pulmonary embolisms, bowel cancer, a quadruple bypass and finally a stroke which severely affected his balance. He was stubbornly determined to walk again, regaining a level of independence that surprised his clinicians. He persevered for two years, until the night when he fell and hit his head, dying a few days later in hospital.