Work, Worship, Study and Play

David Albert Llewellyn James ‘Dave’

David Albert Llewellyn James ‘Dave’ passed away on Sunday 29th December, aged 83 years. In his dying Othona lost a long-standing member of the family and a beloved and dear friend. Dave passed in an ambulance on the journey to hospital, accompanied by his wife, Terry.

Dave first came to Othona in 1955, at the age of 14, just after he went blind. He said that Othona was life-changing for him, because no one ever treated him like he was blind “I had to do my chores like everyone else: whether emptying the slop bucket or washing up.” After that first experience at Othona, Dave never stopped coming, sometimes three or four times a year until very recently, when travelling became more difficult.

Most of Dave’s friends came from Othona where, in 2002, Dave met Terry, who was to become his wife. Dave and Terry married in South Africa in 2004, and lived happily together in Framlingham, Suffolk, up to Dave’s death. As a couple, Dave and Terry lived a life together of travelling, visiting family in South Africa, birdwatching and listening to music. Dave was well known and appreciated in Framlingham, where he and Terry were active in the local community. Dave was proud to be a member of the Rotary Society with which he participated in fundraising events for local good causes.

Dave had a true lust for life and lived every experience to the full. He was always willing to try any new experience and, to name a few, he loved driving cars, riding motorcycles, fireworks, clay-pigeon shooting, tandem racing, and became a skilled in wood turning.

Dave’s skills on the guitar and musical ability were legendary, and he delighted all who knew him at Othona, and beyond, playing and singing in the camp, throughout the years, in chapel; on the stoep; at bonfires and concerts. Dave also played and sang in clubs and bars and, in the 1970s, was invited by the student’s union of the USA to visit on tour. Dave travelled across twenty-seven states of America, giving guitar playing demonstrations at summer campuses. Later, when asked by Terry how he did it alone, Dave replied “My eyes don’t work but my tongue does.”

Dave had a deep love for and understanding of natural history, which he was always keen to share. Dave’s empathy for wildlife and natural cycles gave him an appreciation for nature, on its own terms. He had an remarkable knowledge of the lives and habits of birds, and many other life forms, recognising them instantly by their calls.  Dave maintained an amazing current awareness of fluctuations in populations of wildlife, and their causes, locally and globally.

Dave was a great defender of the rights and dignity of people with every sort of disability, for whom Dave had true empathy and understanding. He was proud of the fact that, as a blind person, he was always in employment, and hated the idea of people thinking he might have been on benefits. After a lifetime working in London for Action for Blind People, Dave retired to Framlingham and lived an active life with Terry.

Dave meant so much to so many of us and memories of Dave's love for and understanding of people and nature, his music, the joy and hilarity he brought to everyone through his sense of fun, silliness, care for others, and so much more are, and will be, shared, remembered and treasured by everyone who had the blessing to know him.

As well as Dave’s beloved wife, Terry, Dave leaves behind his loving stepfamily, of Terry’s children; Penelope, Christopher and Guy, and their partners, Lino, Anastasia and Sarah, the grandchildren; Tess, Calan, and Alex, Tess’ husband, Yamil, Callan’s partner Raymond, and step-great grandchildren; Lucy and Leo. Dave was a loving and much-loved godfather to Jane, Marcus and Callum.

An informal ceremony will be held in St. Peter’s Chapel at Bradwell on Sea, Essex, on Saturday 22nd March at 2pm, to celebrate Dave’s life. Dave will be remembered in nature, where he was often most at home, between the sea and sky, marsh, meadow and thicket, in sight of the chapel. Terry is taking a ‘cupful’ of Dave’s ashes to South Africa for a family memorial, to bury in Penelope's garden, where he loved to sit and relax, chat, listen to the birds, enjoy a smoke and a good strong cup of tea.

- written by Malcolm Hardy

There will be a buffet lunch at the Othona Community before the service at 12.30pm with tea and cake following the ceremony and a time to share stories and memories of Dave.