Tribute by Jessica Bateman
My Dad always said that it took me much longer to say anything than most people as I'm a bit of a rambler, so how do I now sum up such a great life in such a short space of time? Impossible to do him justice however I'd like to share a couple of lines with you about the Lion - his star sign – which I think perfectly describe my Dad.
The Leo type is the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert of all the zodiacal characters. In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies.
They are at their most effective when in a position of command, their personal magnetism and innate courtesy of mind bringing out the best of loyalty from subordinates. They are uncomplicated, knowing exactly what they want and using all their energies, creativeness and resolution to obtain it.
Leos think and act bigger than others would normally dare; the ambitiousness of their schemes and idealism sometimes daunt their followers, their practical hardheadedness and ability to go straight to the heart of any problem reassures those who depend on them.
I think all of you who knew him will agree with those words. My Dad was all that and more. Some people were intimidated by him as he was a very proud and confident man full of life and enthusiasm. However there was a also a gentle and sensitive side to his nature and I know he loved passing on his knowledge and mentoring people in the areas he knew. From the guy at the local café to heads of Industry and members of the House of Lords: my Dad touched everyone he ever met with his enthusiasm and passion!
Just like the Lion with his pride he loved nothing more than being with his family... He was the great patriarch and protector to us all. He supported both Matt and I during our studies, with our sport and our various other endeavours – no matter how extreme! We had a great childhood that was always filled with laughter and learning. When Dad met Lyn (his true love and soul mate!) and we became an even larger family he was delighted! He loved his large family gatherings more than anything. They were always great fun and filled with laughter due to Dad's great sense of humour, his clever wit and his strong booming voice! He will be missed!
Another one of Leo's traits is a love of beautiful things. He loved beauty in nature and art and I know spent many happy hours in the great art galleries of the world. Funnily enough his love of beauty even carried on to fashion and style. Whilst nobody would ever say Dad was fashionable as such he did have a very elegant style that was all his own and was meticulous about his appearance and grooming. He had his favourite shops in different cities around the world where he would go year after year to buy the same high quality garments ... always elegant but understated with never a label in sight!
My Dad was a very generous man and I know that he took great joy in going shopping for special presents for those that were dear to him. He would then be delighted to see us wearing that much-treasured item as he had had so much fun choosing it specifically for us. In my case he would always notice if I was wearing one of his gifts and would comment "Joss-kid" – his nickname for me - that looks nice on you.
My Dad was the true English eccentric gentleman. Like the Lion he was fiercely proud of his heritage: of being English and along with the very useful gift of a British passport he also instilled in Matt and I that great pride in our heritage. As such we were taught at a very young age how to make the perfect pot of tea! No such thing as a teabag in the Bateman household. His love of the English language and his dry, witty sense of humour were all a product of England as was of course his love of soccer and his beloved Crystal Palace.
One of my Dad's great passions was running. He instilled in me a love of running and I have many great memories (as does Matt) of running in Centennial Park with my Dad at some ungodly hour of the morning (he was most definitely a morning person – a trait I cannot say that I inherited!). To say that all three of us know every inch of that park would not be an understatement. As a tribute Matt and I both ran the Half Marathon on Sunday: we did it for Dad and I believe he was with us on the day!
Reading was another constant in our life as a result of Dad: He would spend hours in his favourite bookshops - not just picking out books for himself but at Christmas time he would take great joy in meticulously choosing at least 5 or 6 books for each family member!
As you will all know my Dad was a great traveller. Who would have thought a little working class boy from South London would see so much of this world and become what the french call a "citoyen du monde" - a citizen of the world - comfortable in so many places with true friends in all corners of the world? His ability to communicate with everyone and anyone at all levels, his love of languages, history and culture brought many people together and helped to bring places alive to those who were with him at the time. What I remember was Dad's meticulously planned and orchestrated great trips and holidays and where there was always lots of laughter and games involved. We travelled to all corners of the universe as young children, explored Europe in meticulous detail, celebrated his 60th Birthday with an action packed weekend at Peterhouse in Cambridge and of course there was the great family extravaganza to South America when Dad sold Bounty, his company, and took us following in the footsteps of the Incas... We shared so many great and memorable trips together which will always be treasured!
As a daughter I had the best Dad that anyone could ever have. I can't think of anything more that a girl could want in a father. He was my constant source of strength, my solid base, my logic, my reason, my enthusiasm and my laughter. He was always there when I needed some sense talked into me and for that I will be eternally grateful.
My life will never be the same: There is a huge void in my life that will never be filled again but I feel so lucky and grateful to have had him in my life for 38 years! He will always be with me as I believe he will be with all those whose lives he touched!
Thank you for joining Lyn, Matt and I and our family in celebrating a great man and in carrying on with his strength and enthusiasm for life as he would have wanted!
Dad I love you with all my heart!
