Old Eastbournian
of staff, dukes and duchesses and, most lat- terly his marvellous carers, Dad always gave people his time, made them feel special and was the first to offer help in hours of need. Even at the end, when the dementia had stripped away most of Dad’s faculties, his essential essence remained. He never complained of his lot, he remained stoic, content and happy and somehow always managed to be more interested in whoever was visiting than himself. In his final months when he was still mobile, we would take Dad out for walks on the seafront, often with his loyal friends, which he always loved. He would say how beautiful and clean it looked, then he would pause, look up at the inevitably clear, blue Eastbourne sky and say ‘I have been so lucky, thank you’. Well Dad, that is true, but it is really us that have been so lucky and we should be thanking you for being a part of all our lives. Jonathan added: ‘Live and let live!’ That was one of Dad’s famous mottos. If you excelled in the classroom or on the sports field he would be your champion. But if you lacked confidence or had prob - lems he would be especially concerned. He would try to bring out the best in you and always see the positives in challenging times. Dad taught me A-level biology and always supported my efforts to become a doctor. When I was facing up to realities in life he would tell me how brave I was. Dad had one serious illness in his life. That was mixed Alzheimers and Vascular Dementia. It was a brutal illness that ruth- lessly and relentlessly attacked his faculties. It failed, however, to touch his gentleness and his kindness. He faced his illness with his usual stoicism and some bewilderment. It was, though, devastating for our dear mother who devoted her life to looking after him and her family. I will always be grateful to my amazing brothers for working so hard to help make mum and dad’s last years safe and secure. J, Will and I would like to thank their won- derful carers; David and his colleagues from Helping Hands, Klarissa and Lorraine who lived in, and then Camelot care home and Tina and her colleagues from Sovereign Lodge nursing home. They loved Dad – even when he was trying to corral other residents into an imagined ‘assembly’ or summoning them to his ‘study’ for some perceived misdemeanour. He continued to take comfort from visits by many friends and ex-pupils whom he had influenced – even when he had long- forgotten who they were, and right up to his last days. So Dad will continue to ‘live and let live’ through all those whose lives he touched and beyond.
Blackwater staff and spouses in 1995, just before the house was demolished: Brian Harral, Pip Kirtley, Rosie Polden, Colin Polden, Elizabeth Underhill, John Underhill, Di Wastie, Duncan Ellis (Head of House), Mary Perrens and Forbes Wastie
Geoffrey Howe, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the Guildhall in the City and came home with a crate of champagne. You would have thought he was Warren Buffett after that! • Dad could have made a very success - ful career in sales. His achievements in his final role with the College as Foundation Director, where he led the charge raising millions of pounds for the construction of the new science block are well documented and evidenced by the magnificent place the College is today. He particularly enjoyed cam- paigning with OEs overseas in places like Hong Kong and New York where I am led to believe he also developed a taste for espresso martinis… But I also remember him back in 1982 raising money after the Big School fire. He organised a large fete on College Field, single-handedly built a float for the Eastbourne fun day and persuaded one of those two Ronnies, Ronnie Corbett, to come and open the fete. What a happy day on College Field that was. So, It is not surprising that one of Dad’s proudest legacies is the Forbes Wastie scholarship awarded to ‘all rounders’ and we are so pleased to have some of the beneficiaries helping us today. Above all else to us, his family, Forbes was a loving and loyal husband, son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather and most recently a great grandfather – Noah Forbes arrived exactly one year ago yesterday and we are so proud the wonderful name lives on. Dad was a fantastic communicator, the key to being a good teacher I guess, and he had an unshakeable belief that there is goodness in everyone. He would always be interested in whoever he was talking to, whatever their place in the world. From cleaners and carpenters to generals, chiefs
meticulous, kind, considerate and fair. Dad was not an academic, but he was a man of many parts: • He was a committed Christian with a strong faith and a loyal supporter of worship at the College, but also at All Saints’, St Saviour’s (where we are so kindly supported today) and latterly at St John’s in Meads. • He loved his sport and was always fit, tanned, hale and hearty. He enjoyed playing for the Eclectics, the common room cricket team, bolstered by a few ringers from the wider community – Nigel Wheeler describes him as ‘a useful seam bowler of the old school’. He treasured his years at the Royal, playing golf with his many, many mates, striving to get his handicap down and putting the world to rights in the club house afterwards. • He was a gardener and amateur botanist – I think our gardens in Tenby Lodge, Blackwater, Grassington Road and finally at Warren Hill House were some of the best tended in Eastbourne. He had a little competition with Eve Gardner, the housemaster’s wife in Wargrave, trying to outdo each other in giving all the plants their Latin names. Apparently, when he did not know, he made them up and you can imagine he would be delighted if he sneaked one past Eve! • He was a keen woodworker. I have a treasured picture of him with his sleeves rolled up, glasses dangling on the string around his neck, toiling away making wooden toys for the grandchil- dren in his little workshop at Warren Hill House. • Investor – who can forget when he won the Daily Telegraph share competition! He was presented his award by Sir
18
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online