Dear Auntie Rose, Laura & Julia (and all those who loved Stan),
The world is a poorer place with the loss of Uncle Stan. He was such a wonderful, kind, gentle & funny man. He brought light into our lives and, of course, his antics were legendary....
When Uncle Stan came to Chicago, he told everyone – shopkeepers, servers etc.- he was Sean Connery’s brother (“Aye Lass, I’m Sean Connery’s wee brother, ken…ye can tell by the heed lass” (slapping his bald patch)– and they believed him! Later he changed it to Billy Connolly – (“Aye lass, I’m the Big Yin's big brother”). Auntie Rose just rolled her eyes. At one point she said “ Stan, if you say that one more time, I’m leaving you !”. Auntie Rose, you were long-suffering !
When we were young kids living on the Glade Estate, he would always be the biggest kid of all; always out in the street playing football. On one occasion (in the early 1970s), he set up a pretend boxing ring at our house (using the stakes for the foundations for our new garage as the "ropes"). He pretended to box with all the kids. It was in the Ali v Frasier era, so, of course, he was Ali, with the “motor mouth” and all the “patter” & fancy footwork. I was about 6 years old and he annoyed me so much by "stiff-arming me" & holding me away at arms’ length that when he turned around for a rest, I bit him on the backside! Of course this brought great shrieks of laughter from all the kids and most of all from Stan. (BTW...during this time he was supposed to be helping my Dad and Granddad on the construction, but Stan much preferred larking about & "entertaining the troops"…)
Whenever he want into town (Glasgow), he seemed to come back with Viyella shirts and Jaeger sweaters for my mum and dad. I think he kept my Dad in shirts for years!
Stan, we all miss you enormously and I wish we were able to be there tomorrow to celebrate your life and to say goodbye properly. We will be there in spirit.
With Love & fondest memories,
Scott, Sonia, Cameron and Dexter Offer xxxx