Today was spent over on the Isle of Bute attending the funeral service of an old friend Rex Lyons. Rex was never one to embrace the conventional and today was in keeping with his philosophy. The service was held in the Marble Hall of Mount Stuart House, a magnificent setting. To start we were all treated to a glass of champagne on entering the Hall and were asked to toast his life by his daughter Leyla. Music and readings finished with the Willie Nelson song, For all the Girls I loved before. Which if you knew Rex was a very apposite song.
Later we attended at Barone Cemetery at the back of Rothesay to his final resting place. The world is a slightly poorer place for his passing.
Rex was a larger than life, colourful character. At times not a very likeable character, but nevertheless one who will be remembered the length and breadth of the Clyde. Everyone who knew him has a 'Rex' story: everyone who knew him will recall his many well used catch phrases, and those who were fortunate enough to work with or for him have many untold tales of their own.
ReplyDeleteYes he will be missed in the many roles he played, but none more so that his Daughter and his Staff at OWL
Is his father,Brigadier Cyril Arthur Lyons?.
ReplyDeleteBrigadier? He told me his rather was the village drunk actually!
ReplyDeleteI heard we lost one of the clyde's finest characters in appropriate manner for the old sea dog - drookit in the murky waters in Troon harbour is that right?
yes, but lets have a little empathy for his family who may be reading this!
DeleteALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS AN ARSE MYSELF
ReplyDeleteHe probably thought you were an arse too.
ReplyDeletelots of love
Leyla Coll O'REILLY
well said!
Deletedoesnt matter whether he ws an arse or not - he was someones son, someones lover, someones father
ReplyDeleteHe was a wonderful brother and uncle to my five children. I miss him forever.
ReplyDeleteIs this the same Rex o’Reilly who lived on the Killarney Rd in Bray Co Wicklow, Ireland
ReplyDeleteThe very same.
DeleteI sailed with Rex on the M. V. Sigsilver in 1969 for about 5 months. We were deck cadets together and we got on well. A real character, a bit nuts at times, drove the Captain and Chief Officer crazy! Someone I'll always remember. I would have liked to see him again. Quite a few stories to tell about Rex.
ReplyDelete