Raymond William Bird (6 Apr 1929 - 12 Apr 2020)

In loving memory of Raymond William Bird who passed away peacefully on
12th April 2020 aged 91.

Raymond was born on 6th April the only child to William and Maud Bird. A premature baby weighing around 3.5lbs, Ray was lucky in those times to survive those early days and happily went on to live a long and full life. During his childhood years he was evacuated to Somerset and returned to his family in Dagenham just prior to the end of the war. He excelled at school and went on to earn a scholarship for engineering. His first job was with Kelsey Hayes which later became part of Fords where he worked in the wheel plant for over 40 years. He was very popular with his work colleagues and on retiring was presented with a mounted wheel bearing with the words 'run a rule over that Ray' a tribute to the precision he applied to his work and subsequently to everything he did.

After retiring, he went on to work at FitzWimarc School in Rayleigh as a woodwork technician. A job he thoroughly enjoyed and where, again, he was popular with colleagues and pupils alike.

Ray was a keen sportsman and played football and cricket in his early years. He joined the local youth Club in Dagenham and this is where he met Joan, his future wife. Romance blossomed and they married in September 1954, moving to South Benfleet to start their new life together and a new family. In June 1961 their son Michael arrived followed shortly in April 1963 by their daughter Glenda.

Ray and Joan spent many happy years with their family, moving from their original bungalow in Selbourne Road to a bigger house and their current home in Wavertree Road.

In later years Ray enjoyed his garden and would spend many a happy hour pottering in his greenhouse and at the local Horticultural Society. Having spent years working with metal he turned his skills to working with wood and loved the feel, texture and beauty of the different grains. He also had a love of playing music, from early days playing an accordion in a band, he bought an organ and would spend hours playing happily to himself. Ray and Joan also took up bowls and joined a club where they competed as part of the team against other local clubs.

Ray was a kind loving and loved husband of Joan, father to Michael and Glenda and grandfather to Gemma and Danielle and will be greatly missed.