Page 153 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2015-16

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as a boy-scout then later as a King Scout and long distance cycling before the war. He was introduced to badminton in Maida Gym and he continued to play competitively into his 80s and played crown green bowling into his 90s. Bernard continued to cycle and especially walk long distances after the war and Bernard and Eva enjoyed many Mediterranean holidays together.
In 1998 they celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of their wedding with their remaining brothers and sisters and their own growing family. Bernard enjoyed 33 years of happy retirement, 24 of which he shared with Eva and together they lived to see their six grandchildren: Clare, Anthony, Janet, Maria, Michael and Bernadette born and reach maturity. More recently they saw the next generation of 10 great grandchildren arrive. Bernard acquired a heart pace-maker in his 80s and diabetes in his early 90s. Signs of dementia only showed very slightly in the last few months of his life so everyone agreed with Bernard that he had lived a long, healthy and full life. His amazing mobility lasted well after his 99th birthday.
Bernard spent many hours producing over a hundred stunning and intricate paintings and sketches once he retired. A skill that proved to be innate and untaught. He also read many hundreds of books during his life and completed at least one cross-word puzzle each day after retirement. After a fall and short illness Bernard died of pneumonia on 1st November, 2014, just 2 months short of his 101st birthday.
Bernard was much loved and is missed beyond words. The world was indeed blessed by his presence.
TRIBUTE TO JOHN TRAVERS
Dec 1931 – Jul 2015
It is an understatement to say that John led an adventurous and eventful life, the scale of his achievements and the scope of his in uence were such that the task of summing up his life is dif cult to say the least, just where do you start?
To illustrate the point, only yesterday Leslie and I received a card from a lady who rst met John almost 50 years ago, when he was a Physical Training Instructor based in Aldershot. She was a member of Aldershot Athletics Club; typically he took an interest in the club and started organising extreme tness courses for them. She described how he would sneak them into the camp so that they could take advantage of the wonderful facilities and how the routines that John devised took their performance to another level.
Incredibly, two of the group, Christine Boxer and Barbara Inkpen, went on to represent Great Britain in no fewer than ve Olympic Games and both won Commonwealth Gold medals in their respective disciplines. As I nished reading, it struck me that here was yet another inspirational story and I wondered just how many more there are to tell.
As I pondered what to say today, I decided that the best solution was to focus on John in the role of Grandfather. Not only was it the area of his life where he had left the greatest impression on me, but I also felt that everything I had come to know about him; his character, achievements, qualities and values were, I think,
encapsulated in how he took on the role and responsibility of being a Grandfather.
As with everything he did,
John did the Granddad
thing better than most
and in that role he
displayed all the positive
characteristics that I
now believe enabled
him to achieve so much
throughout his life. Chief
among those qualities
was his patience and
tolerance, I honestly
cannot remember a
single moment when
he lost his temper with my two girls and
I’m certain that was also the case with the other six grandchildren, even Tim! That patience and tolerance bred trust, so they would happily do a handstand or a backward ip under his expert tuition, knowing that if they should fall he would always be there to catch them. He was forever helping, supporting and encouraging them without any sense of pressure or expectation, such was the measure of his con dence in himself and his methods.
But of all John’s qualities, the one that I felt stood out most was the fact that he genuinely respected all of his grandchildren as individuals. Whatever their talents, strengths or weaknesses, he treated them all as equal, they were all favourites and they duly responded.
When I came to read the many kind comments that people have posted about John, I realised that those same qualities that I admired in him as a Grandfather, shone through into every aspect of his life. People, whether they are parents, children or colleagues, have remarked over and over about how thrilled they were when he presented a certi cate or a badge to mark a sporting achievement, however great or small. It is abundantly clear that the passage of time has not diminished the moment or the memory for them and it never will.
I know for a fact that John understood the importance of those moments, he spoke with passion about the need for recognition and the vital role it played in the development of a child, that’s why he put so much time, effort and care into making sure that he was there to acknowledge their achievements, just as he had with his grandchildren.
That commitment to respecting the individual and encouragement through tireless support and recognition is actually what frames John Travers life for me, his legacy I hope is that we are all better citizens for knowing him.
JOHN PANCOTT
1933 - 2015
John Edward Pancott, of Berwyn, PA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 10, 2015 after a short illness. John devoted 59 years to the sport of gymnastics. He was a British National Champion and two times Olympian for Great Britain before he came to the United States with his family in 1967 on the last crossing of the Queen Mary.
John worked at Valley Forge Military Academy, Nissen Corporation and later opened his own gymnastics school. He coached both Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics, competitive and exhibition
The NW Association paid their respects to John Travers. The funeral was attended by over 150 pers. 7 former APTCIs attended - Bob Wood, Mick Kilcoyne, Clem McBride; John & Connie Baker, John & Maureen Nicholas, Ralph& Pat Wills, and me.
He was a great guy, duly portrayed in his Tribute; another one of our ‘unsung’ heroes. See Simbalion@aol.com. Click menu and bring up Tributes.