(It was Joe's funeral yesterday.  He was just a few weeks short of his 100th birthday.  I wrote and recited this to him on the occasion of his 90th.  Too many refeerences to explain but it summed up the innate decency of a lovely man)

 

Joe 90 is a carpenter and has been all his life

And like the good Lord Jesus works with saw and plane and knife

A quiet man from Haddlesey, both humble and with pride

His lifetime lived in modesty with much he should not hide.

 

In 1942 our Joe was called up by the draft

It made no difference to the army being young and daft.

His sergeant on parade ground who was not a pleasant thing

Yelled, “Brunyard, you’re a bag of shite that’s been tied up with string”.

But Joe performed his duty while he was in the ranks

Serving in the Netherlands and Belgium with the tanks.

He tells of piddling in a can (you’d scarcely say regretful)

The local bloke he sold it to thought it was full of petrol.

But here Joe won his medals (not just for wearing clogs)

For facing up the Germans – he still hates “bl**dy Frogs”!

I asked Joe what he won them for; said Joe, “I must admit

The one’s for cooking army food, the next for eating it”.

 

But the army couldn’t hold Joe, though soon he met his match

When Phyllis Blair from Barlby saw Joe as quite a catch.

In those day you’ll recall we had pea-soupers of a fog

But Joe had promised to call round Phyl’s house despite the smog

It was so thick Phyl’s dad said “He’ll not be round tonight”

But when he heard Joe’s car outside said “That lad’s head’s not right!”

They spent their lives together and built the Brunyard clan

To Harold’s clutch of children he added Phil and Anne.

There’s photos of the old canal when frozen, as Phil slid

Skating with his dad behind, grinning like a kid.

A dad and granddad to those kids by whom he’s loved so much

And proud of his own heritage which, like myself, was Dutch.

 

There’s nothing much of Haddlesey Joe Brunyard doesn’t know

The font of local knowledge as folks say “Have you asked Joe?”

School governor and church warden and, of course, cabinet maker

He’s built one church hall, opened one and been an undertaker.

Joe Brunyard’s known for miles around and held in high esteem

So here’s my tribute to you, Joe – your favourite custard cream.

 

Joe 90 is a carpenter and has been all his days

Just like the good Lord Jesus; he does not need my praise.