40 replies to this topic

[TeDeum]

Dave you were a great man to have an argument or a laugh with! RIP Spongey.

[big dave]

this not a good week on Carpe is it?

RIP spongey

[wicklamulla]

ya i was looking at a sminky 4x4 tipper this mornin' when his eldest daughter rang with the sad news, it knocked me off me feet as we assumed he'd hang on till dec or the new year. Alas he had been ill on and off alot over the last 2 years and battled cancer 3 times in total i think. A few people on here knew he was ill. Not once did he moan or whinge bout it and faced it head on each time one of the numerous medical issues/mistakes cropped up and tried to scupper his life. He told me some of what he was going through physically and mentally and it really shocked me. Some of you will remember when Chris his wife died just over 4 years ago (i was at Snow Joke with Tony Devil and crew when the call came) Dave really struggled for the next 2 years to 'carry on' and the void left by Chris passing was vast, Dave was her full time carer as she had been ill for a number of years. When he turned 65 he was suddenly 'in the money' as his Army pension and some udder pension thingy came to bare fruit and Dave's taste in motorcycles changed from wanting a TDM 900 to wanting yet again anudder BMW, it came and went as did a beautiful F800GS anniversary edition and a DRZ400. Dave had many boikes and cars over the years when he was overseas with d'army in Hong Kong and some udder exotic places i can't tink of, Jags, BSA's etc, he left them all behind when it came time to return to Blighty fer good cos they were shagged out i suppose. Dave oddly enuf worked in Army Intelligence and was bound over by d'official scerets act, so don't tell anyone will ye !! I always remember him telling me about some long ride over Asian mountains he'd have to do in order to go and play darts with udder Brits posted overseas, it sounded a great adventure ! Dave sold both his bikes a few months ago as it was too difficult to ride and enjoy it without feeling loike a bag o' shoite afterwards. He did say he reckoned he could have done Snow Joke last month but no longer had a bike, to be honest it may have been too much fer him i think. Dave when in flying form liked a drink and meself and PK used to give him some roight stick while off camping (TDM 900 reference there...) or at a GTT, the 'abuse' was fierce at times but he always had 'an appropiate response'. He'd come and stay with Mole and I quite often and he liked chilling out with our cat and reading while we went out to work. He also became quite well known in our village pub and all the regulars got used to seeing him and his big nose popping in ferra drink or 2. I used to love him coming to stay cos when he was well i'd put him to work carrying logs and helping me on some private jobs, he usually did as he was told but loiked to 'advise me'. Mesen and Dappers stayed over his gaff quite a few times and went fer curry and pints, twas great cos it was always about boikes, burds and beer. Dave was a youthful pensioner and no doubt would have gotten to travel around the USA loike what he'd talked bout doing on 2 wheels but alas it wasn't to be. Me n' She last seen dave in August and he seemed 'fine' and we couldn't believe how well he seemed despite all the medical issues he had, he even talked of having some quality of life and hoped life would turn around for him, we never really knew all of the facts as he decided to meter out the information concerning his future, i suppose he was shielding us some what. I spoke to him on the phone last week and he sounded a bit strained, but we assumed it would pass. He then informed me he wouldn't be able to come and see us again and we'd hafta come and see he, me n' she discussed this d'udder day and were gonna pop over this week ferra cuppa tea and some 'advice', alas it wasn't to be. I sent Dave a picture message last sunday and got no reply, as i found out today it was due to him being admitted to hospital, the rest as they say 'is history'.
Cheers Dave we loved ya, we miss you. (love you long time). Ken&Mole. XxxX

[paulb]

Sad to read this. RIP fella

[TonyDevil]

Sorry to hear that Dappers. Only met him half a dozen times but he was a realy nice bloke

RIP Dave

i also only met him a few times, but yes wick i remember that call

RIP Spongey :'(

[Big Bird]

from one old Carpedian to another: RIP Spongey

[dandywarhol]

That's a lovely eulogy Wicky - I feel for all those who were close to the Spongemeister...........................

[Hartside Man]

Shocked !

I knew Dave was ill and had Pmed a few times recently, but it's still a shock when a great man passes.

Only really got to know Dave on the irish Tour in 2008, but what an instantly likeable and easy to get on with person, great laughs ,and some Great Green laning (more like mud plugging) i will not forget "Spongey" RIP Dave, and enjoy all the heavenly rides.

depest sympathy and condolences to Dave's immediate family and to his extended Family namely Pete (dapleb) and Ken (Wicky).

its been a very sad and bitter week indeed :-(

P.S. I don't mind admitting i shed a tear on reading the posts from Pete and Ken.

[negwedar]

Damn. That's really sad news, I was lucky enough to meet him a couple of times and he seemed like a nice bloke. Condolences all round.

[TDMick]

RIP Spongey

[ChrisG]

Dave you were a great man to have an argument or a laugh with!

One from the archive



Always good for a laugh Dave

[dapleb]

There is that neat pic of him stood with a sledge hammer over his shoulder "admiring" stus boike at the first RTT. Think I lost that with my hard drive crash and Carpe lost it with the gallery crash.

[Hartside Man]

[pete7]

[unclesumo]

Sad news indeed. Only met him the once but seemed a really nice guy. Condolences to Ken, Mole & Pete.

[ChrisG]

That's a good one to remember him by. Cheers Dave

[wicklamulla]

sum gr8 pic dare, i'm trying to find some pics we took at a BBQ we did fur Dave afore he went in fur surgery over 12 months ago, twas at our old hoose in Silverton, Me, Mole, PK and SpOnGe. PK you gottem on yer camera cos i cannae find dem ???

[dapleb]

Yup, will send some over. Can you post a few up please as I was going to make a slide show on Vimeo but it messes up pic quality (what quality there was). Also a pic of when me and he went to Dorset Steam Rally last year. There were Sponge bobs in one of them grabby machines......rinsed a load of £1 trying to get him one....on the last £1 he shoved me out of the way with a load of abuse about being an amature and bagged a bloody Sponge Bob first swipe.....right atwix the noggin and the silly hat. Smug grin for the rest of the day.

[dapleb]

The Spongmeisters family send a big thankyou for all of the comments and pictures.

The tears flowed but it was lovely to read and see the pics.

Thanks again

Karen
x

and a big thanks to those who sent me high res images which I forwarded to his family. Tis greatly appreciated.

[paddy900]

I found these photo's taken by Hutchy in Ireland 2008...hope he does not mind me borrowing them.