Norman Russell

Norman Russell was a member of the Village Hall Committee from 1981 to 1985

A Tribute by Ted Janes

July 12th, 1991

On July 3rd the Village Hall lost a great friend and champion with the death of Norman Russell. As the Longest serving committee member I was asked to say a few words at the cremation service, afterwards some committee members expressed a wish that these words should be recorded as our tribute to Norman.

To scores of people in Lacey Green, particularly those living alone Norman Russell was more than a good neighbour, he was a treasure through the generosity of his D.I.Y. skills.

It's often jokingly said that it takes 20 years for a new-comer to be accepted into village life, but of course that depends on the individual; Norman was accepted in months, he only lived 12 years in Lacey Green but in that time was nominated by the village magazine as 'villager of the 80's decade,'

In my 40 years of being actively involved in village life, I know of no one who has given so much time and physical effort to the community, particularly to the maintenance of the village hall. It didn't matter if we needed a carpenter, plumber, glazier, electrician, cleaner or gardener, Norman could turn his hand to anything, few tasks defeated him. With to-days high labour costs, the money he saved the community ran to several thousands of pounds.

I knew very little of Norman's life before he came to Lacey Green, but I don't believe you suddenly become a good neighbour, so I am sure this was the same Norman of early married family life in London, and 15 years as an emigrant in South Africa.

He worked all his life with his hands, but to guide them was a keen brain, and a great eye for detail that I expect came with the occupation of a precision engineer.

Among his many qualities were 3p's, perspection, precision and perseverance. I remember him in many small ways; that perspection, that keen eye, he once admired my wife's freshly polished brass letter box, but what a pity it was a fraction off centre! His precision, laying out the tables and chairs for a social function in the hall, I guessed at the walking gangway distance, but Norman was there with his gauge, specially made with the required number of inches. 'It will do' was never in his vocabulary. His perseverance, when the local youths took to constantly using the bus shelter as a grafity board, he re-emulsioned it daily until they tired - he had won!

He could be difficult - he didn't always get on with people, but that was because they fell from his ideals of excellence.

We all have our own memory of him, none more that the family, and in particular, Sue his daughter, who so lovingly cared for him these last months, so enabling him to stay in his own home to the end. I know how much he appreciated and admired her nursing expertise and devotion, in that he saw just a small chip off the old block, which made him happy. Sue's efforts saved him the frustration of hospital life, the only time he was there he could hardly restrain himself, so many thing needed fixing, so many things didn't work, so many things off centre. Most patients are grateful for gifts of fruit, Norman pined for his tool-box.

Today we are saying good-bye and thank you to Norman Russell knowing that his contribution to our community will long be remembered."

A memorial to Norman Russell will be erected in or around the Village Hall, anyone wishing to contribute should send donations to the Village Hall Treasurer, Brian Lunn, Chegwyn, Main Road, Lacey Green.