I would like to talk to you about my brother John……

John was no angel in life so I suppose he will be no angel in death. Not for John the higher accolades of after life just John being John.

He never did get promotion, even in the Army-- he served for 12 yrs going in as a gunner and I think coming out with the same status. he must have been the most highly educated Gunner there was. I would have thought that this lack of rank wasn’t an easy achievement ,even for John,, but nothing John did was easy. Just John being John.

I remember John as a child always asking questions non stop, his thin legs in big boots bought for him by Great Uncle Johnny, his hair combed and wet down always sticking up at the back.
John was a clever child His infant teacher of that time saying-- John could be Prime Minister of England if John wanted to.

I took him to school and he knew the way better than me and he being 4/ 5 yrs younger,

I saw him off on the train when he joined the army at 18 without our Mom and Dad knowing and I had to explain, why there was no John at home when they returned from holiday.
I made sure he got to his wedding to Pat on time, taking the pins out of his new shirt in the back of the car as we sped to town for the ceremony.

I went to visit him in Anglesey when his son Paul was born, where he was in charge of tracking the latest defence weapon of the army, it was called the Blue Streak and never seemed to work, . Was it just John being John ?.

He turned up on my doorstep all the way from Algeria with his second son Colin in his arms and 2 nappies-- nothing else.

I have followed him through life trying to put the pieces together when his life kept falling apart--as John being John--- it often did... His lifestyle taking it’s toll, he would arrive on my doorstep again and again ---- just John being John

To my sons he was a hero coming to see them bearing gifts, arrow heads, fossils found in far off places,

He worked hard he played hard.

To me he was my brother---- just John being John,

I will miss him.

hazel

John wrote on S. Forum as Sheffco.

Well written, Hazel.

I remember you posting on another thread at the time of his passing where you posted a link to his website which family were maintaining ..but sadly the link didn't work!

I can't find it now but I'm sure many of the earlier members of the Sheffield Forum will remember him as he was a regular poster in the early days.

My deepest sympathies to you, your family and his friends.

So sorry about your brother hazel, that is a lovely tribute to him you've written.
What a lovely big sister he must have had in you.

What a beautiful sentiment. He must have meant a lot to you Hazel.

My condolences.

A beautiful tribute to your brother.

Ahh Hazel, thats lovely, made me :cry:

A lovely tribute Hazel.

RIP John

Thank you for your replies, your sympathy, your empathy.

John took a lot of stick on the forum, very often deserved.

He was a seismic engineer-- which seems quite fitting that I should print this today, the morning of the earthquake,--

Was it John just being John

---and had worked in all the places he spoke about, his dependancy on whiskey finally catching up with him, he died at few weeks ago.
hazel

I remember sheffco being one of the earliest members on SF. He used to post quite often when I was a newbie on here. He had some interesting ideas.

I'm so sorry for your loss, hazel, being an older sister of a bright and wayward brother myself, I think I know how you must be feeling.

"Just John being John" what a lovely way to phrase it. *hugs*

So sorry about your brother hazel, that is a lovely tribute to him you've written.
What a lovely big sister he must have had in you.

What a beautiful tribute to your dear brother................He would have been very very proud of you.................

I remember sheffco being one of the earliest members on SF. He used to post quite often when I was a newbie on here. He had some interesting ideas.



He was indeed- he was user number 13.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss Hazel. It sounds like you had a very special (if exasperating) link with your brother.

Remember, nobody really dies whilst there is someone who loved them there to remember them. He can be whatever age you want him to be, never be ill and with a constant smile on his face.

Just close your eyes luv, I promise you that he's that close.

That's a beautifully constructed eulogy to your brother John, hazel.

I'm sorry to read of your loss.

Thank you again for your posts especially those who remembered John as Sheffco. I didn't know that John was the 13th S Forum member, thanks for looking that piece of information up Medusa.

It was my brother who got me interested in the Forum but I didn't realise he was almost a founder member.
His website-- I am trying to reconstruct as it seemed a shame to let it die with him, he had a very interesting life and pieces of his website keep cropping up on google, the ones about his ex wives are hilarious.
thedooglebuggers.net I think,

hazel

slightly off topic, but I'm so glad sheffco did get you interested in Sheffield Forum, hazel. This place would have been much the poorer without your input. Your posts are always a joy :)

Sorry to hear of your loss hazel. You were lucky to have a brother, which I never did.

slightly off topic, but I'm so glad sheffco did get you interested in Sheffield Forum, hazel. This place would have been much the poorer without your input. Your posts are always a joy :)

Thanks for that Ruby,
I seem to have found a talent, that I didn't know I had, very late in life.
I was told at school that we had latent talents but never thought it would be this late. I'm trying for the book everyone says we have in us and getting great encouragement from my tutor.

Off topic even more- sorry
hazel

RIP John. He was a good man.

-Michael

His website-- I am trying to reconstruct as it seemed a shame to let it die with him, he had a very interesting life and pieces of his website keep cropping up on google, the ones about his ex wives are hilarious.
thedooglebuggers.net I think,

hazel

I think THIS (http://www.doodlebuggers.net/) may be the website you refer to, hazel. It has the "Seismic Exploration Industry" connection.

I hope this helps. :)

I'm going to place it in my bookmarks for future reference. :)

Hi Sunshiine thanks for your efforts but that one is a later site he was trying to get off the ground.

This is the one I am trying to put together, this is one section.

http://the-doddlebugger.co.uk/Algeria/algeria.html

I can get some of it.
He really had the makings of a decent book.
hazel

Realised that the link does not work so have copied and pasted part of the one I mean


Algeo

Doodlebugging

I had travelled up to Heathrow (London) to meet Doug Shepherd, the Army friend who had first contacted me about the job. The company, Algeo-Sonatrach, had been true to their word, and sent the tickets and a contract for me to read and sign. It had all been so simple, and everything had gone smoothly. Even the goodbyes. I had been bored silly working in England, and only realised it as the prospect of the new job and travel came closer.

Doug and I had been close friends, but hadn’t seen each other for a while, there was a lot of catching up to do. We flew to Paris, and after a short stop flew on to Algiers. We landed shortly after dusk, and I was aware of the sounds and smells associated with Africa. Dar El Beida airport was quite modern, and reasonably efficient. - - It was the Muslim month of Ramadan, so we were passed through quickly, and were on our way by taxi to Algiers. - Doug had already been working in Algeria for a few months, so he knew his way around. We checked into the “Hotel Des Etranger”, an old colonial style place in the lower end of the city, near to the port.

As it was Ramadan, the city was pretty quiet, but we found a small restaurant for supper (Excellent), then went back to the hotel to drink the duty frees, and swap stories. A large twin bedded room, very comfortably furnished, and the scotch was going down very well. Crash! Bang! Flashes from outside, it sounded like artillery or bombs. - - - We edged to the window, and peered around the blinds. After all, we were close to Libya, and not too far from Israel. It was fireworks, the mueddin had glimpsed the new moon, and Ramadan had ended. The whole city were out on the streets celebrating the end of the month of fasting and prayer. Doug also explained, that it would be pointless going to the office for a couple of days.

In fact it was to be five days! - I was amazed by the amount of Night clubs and bordello’s that Doug knew. Algiers at that time was a very liberal city. (The French Influence) There were excellent restaurants and cafes, good class shops, bars and bistro’s everywhere. We had a great time, and all the time I was on the payroll - - - this was a great job. - - Doug took a great pride in showing me everything, we ate in the best places, and drank in some of the worst.

We eventually got to the office, and I met the Manager - Bill Green. - - Most of his business seemed to be conducted at the “Coffee Shop” at the American Embassy. - - I was introduced to a few other Ex-Pat’s who were passing through town, - Don Mackenzie - Barry Williams - Don Cullins - Grady Pierce to name a few, also one or two of the dark suited clear eyed young men who seemed to listen in to every conversation around the patio. (CIA) - Algiers was full of Russians - Chinese - East Germans - Palestinians - and God knows who else. Oh well, it seemed like a good job to me.

Three months on - One month off - - Salary paid in England 75% - Algerian living allowance and expenses. I would be working with Doug on a mainly French crew, so we would have to sort out our leave schedule ourselves. The necessary work permit and medical etc. could be done in a couple of days, and then we were off to join the crew. - - - - Sounded like heaven.


Algeo

Hello again, hazel. Sorry re the website address error.

Many thanks for the quotation from the one where Sheffco posted. He must've been quite a guy. :)

When I joined SF in mid-2005, I made a point of reading the very earliest posts on the Forum, returning to them and reading the posts as time progressed.

How polite and strong the sense of camaraderie was between the pioneers of the website at the time. It was truly a pleasure to read. :)

I'm not sure if those early posts are still available on the SF Server. I hope they are.

If they are, perhaps it should be "required reading" for all new folks choosing to post on here. ;)

I wonder if this is the Hazel who befriended my sister Poppins ?

Hazel, I am so sorry to hear about John's passing.

As you know, I met him a few times and spoke to him on the phone also and he made quite an impression on me, especially his sense of humour.

Larger than life character is written about so many people, but in John's case it really does apply. I loved reading the doodlebugger even before I met John and meeting him only confirmed to me what an extra ordinary man he was.

I can't imagine how much of a loss you must feel at his passing, but I bet you that for every one time you think of him with sadness, you think of John a hundred times with a smile on your face.

You should try not to be too sad at his passing Hazel, but just be enormously proud to have shared John's life.

Sorry to hear your news,:( I know how you feel....my brother died last september, he was only 40.
I wrote a eulogy in verse for his funeral, I may post this on the site as well... your post has inspired me.

Best wishes....Alan

Sorry I have not replied before but it was a little painful for me to return to the thread so I have only just read it in it's entirety and thak you for the empathy which shines out in your posts.

Shoeshine you were right about the comradeship that existed in the past, it was a very different SF but not sure whch has changed , the forum or the way I look at it.

Yes Pattricia I am the Hazel that knows and admires Poppins.

hazel