5 April 1949 to 13 March 2011
This is a personal tribute given by FMB Past President, Geoff Snow OBE, at Neal’s funeral on Friday 25 March 2011.
Albert Einstein said: “The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive”. In one word ‘Neal’. He gave much to his work and to the Federation of Master Builders, and that is why, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to say goodbye to him. I would like to speak in celebration of his life and about his involvement with the FMB.
I have known Neal since the early nineties, when I was Welsh President and Neal was then involved with the London Region. Neal and his wife, Jan, started attending the FMB’s National Conferences and Neal was then getting involved with our National Committees. I found he worked with passion, integrity and energy and all the people who knew him will miss a highly intelligent, vibrant individual, with a rare friendliness and charm of personality. Neal was a genuinely warm and wonderful person. One we will miss greatly.
Neal joined the FMB Croydon Branch in 1982, and was Branch Chairman from 1993 to 1997. He was elected to Regional Council in 1991 and became London Region President from 1997 to 2000.
He was a National Councillor from 2003 until he died, and if that was not enough, he had also been Treasurer of the FMB London Region since 2006.
He was elected as an FMB National Vice President by his fellow directors at the AGM in York last year.
And not to be upstaged, at the London Region’s AGM last year in Bedford, Jan was elected as the FMB London Region President and, for the friends here that don’t know, Jan was presented with the London Medallion.
The only thing was, Neal had to accept the Ladies Medallion of Office but Neal being Neal he accepted it graciously! During the 70 years of the Federation they must be the only husband and wife that have both been presented with the Medallion.
Although that is a lot for most men, it does not tell you about the rest of the work Neal carried out for the Federation.
I remember years ago, Neal and Fred Pound persuading me to join them in starting up a new Health and Safety Group. Neal was passionately interested in Health and Safety matters and was always willing to share his ideas and information on the subject.
When I asked him to represent the FMB on the Sector Skills Council Health and Safety Group he did not hesitate, and said: “Just give me the dates and I will make time.”
There were so many other things that he did for the Federation that it is impossible to list them all, but the one thing we will all miss is the sure fact that he was going to make a great National President.
Neal was living proof of how fine a person can be. He was a good boss to the people in his charge, a loving husband to Jan and a devoted father and Granddad.
He was also a good friend to many of us and a great colleague. The character of the life he lived might be summed up in a few words - he was sincere, he was earnest, and a person with a big heart. The Neal I remember was a happy man. He was cheerful in himself and he gave it to others, he had a great sense of humour.
Jan and Neal were great supporters of the Swansea Branch annual dinner and dance where they made a lot of friends, many of whom have come here today to say farewell. Jan and Neal loved the hotel and area so much that Neal took the whole family there for a weekend away last year. The hotel manager asked me when they were coming so he could stock up on champagne.
But of course, we will all remember Neal’s expertise on the dance floor, his wonderful dress sense and how could we possibly forget his red shoes?
In his career, he worked with passion, integrity and energy. Neal was a genuinely warm and wonderful individual – one we will miss greatly.
Our sorrow is lessened only slightly with the comforting thought that we had the privilege to know him. Most of all he was a good man and a friend. He be missed by us all but he will never be forgotten.
Jan, Galya, Guy and Greg, on behalf of the Federation of Master Builders please accept our deepest sympathy.
