Having worked so hard for so long you might expect John to lead a restful life in retirement but that was not his way. Perryfield had been rented to students for several years and needed a lot of work to get it nice again. On top of the enormous vegetable garden and fruit orchards were added Angora goats and rabbits and of course, donkeys. A lot of time was spent at the beach hut at Hampton and John had various roles in the HPYC, he loved sailing and passed on this love to children and grandchildren, he finally stopped sailing at 80 with a rather good win in a race.

John and Sheila did two walking holidays most years often taking the dogs and walking enormous distances.

When Perryfield was the subject of a blight order due to a proposed new road John, Sheila, Peter and the donkeys koved to Hunter’s Lodge in Radfall Ride. John became active in the Parish Council, with running a neighbourhood watch scheme and also with Westbere Sailing Opportunities.

In 2006 John fell ill and after several months the cause was discovered, on the operating table, to be Pancreatic cancer. Mr Patel the consultant, did a fantastic job and John joined the less than 10% of patients who survive more than 5 years from Pancreatic cancer.

The time came to down size and John , Sheila and Peter moved to Marine Crescent in Tankerton. The beach still very much part of their lives with kayaks now rather than dinghys and windsurfers. Five grandchildren who all benefitted from their love and attention and of course their dogs.