Dick was born on February 1st 1938, to Alfred and Veronica Bulman, in Hemsley, North Yorkshire; he came into this world earlier than expected, being born two months premature and weighing in at just 2lb’s. Veronica’s parents were working at the Arden Hall Estate and to keep young Dick warm after the birth, he was placed in a chicken incubator… it did the trick and he went on to flourish. Dick was one of six children born to Alfred and Veronica and he had four brothers and one sister… he was the second oldest. The family lived in Newton under Roseberry and Dick went to school in a small village called Great Ayton which was about three miles away. It was at school where his love for cricket, cross country running and football came to the fore; he completed his education in the village and left school at the age of fourteen. On leaving school Dick spent the next four years working on a farm.. a job he loved. In 1953 and at the age of fifteen, Dick entered a local race, from the green to the monument at the top of Roseberry Topping which was a nearby hill, and back again. He completed the course in 14 minutes and 11 seconds…. a record that still stands to this day. At the age of eighteen, Dick did his national service, joining the army and working as a radio operator in the Green Howards Regiment. I am told that he spent eighteen months in Hong Kong with his regiment.. spending most of his time there playing cricket or football. At the end of his National service, Dick spent many years working in the building trade as a bricklayer. From there he started his own window cleaning business and did this job until his move to Spain in 2006. Irene met Dick at a Christmas party in 1967 and I am told that she was the only woman he ever went out with. They tied the knot on November 1st 1969 in a church on the sea-front at Redcar…. It was a freezing cold day and apparently Dick had a spare Saturday because his football match was postponed… his life was sport… sport.. sport and Irene and the children have many memories of childhood spent on the sportsfield sidelines… they went everywhere in a car that was always full of prams, pushchairs and sporting equipment etc. Cricket was Dick’s passion and he was Captain of Marske Cricket Club for four years. During his captaincy, in 1984, they won the league… something that had never been done before, or since; at the celebration party they played the song ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, a song he loved. Dick was also made Honourary Vice President of the club and was a top class wicket-keeper. Dick loved the music of the 60’s but had an interest in a wide range of musical styles.. from jazz to heavy metal… he would listen to anything ! Foodwise, I am told that Dick would eat anything and never left anything on his plate. He was described as being very resourceful, he was a scrumping champion and also he would kill squirrels [which were a pest] and get a shilling a tail from the Forestry. He and his brothers used the cash to buy ammo etc to get more squirrels… as I said, Dick was resourceful…. Waste not, want not.. absolutely nothing was wasted. Apparently he would only buy the children slippers every two years while they were growing up.. they lasted longer after he had cut the toes out of them ! Dick’s favourite party piece was as follows: ‘A little bee sat on a wall I give a buzz, and that was all’ He would then take a bow. Dick was described as being the most placid of all the brothers and never got steamed up about things; he was a person who always talked things through. It was Dick’s dream to come to Spain and he came and lived out his dream. He was a wanderer and got to know many people around the area; all the people in his street were describes as ‘just like family’. He would always help out his neighbours and friends and would do the neighbourhood garden down the road… he even grew potatoes there! Known to his children and grandchildren as ‘Pops’ or ‘Papa Loco’, Dick, the joker, the man who loved life, the man who loved people, the man who loved his family, will leave a huge space in so many people’s lives…. He will be so sadly missed by all who knew him. Dick leaves Irene, three children, eight grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Could I write any more about this special man… absolutely…. Is there more that can be said… yes lots… but no writing could do justice to a man who did much and enjoyed every minute of his life…… God bless you Dick.