By Peter Crago-Goodman....It is on occasions like this that the officiating ministers are stuck for words due to not knowing the person that we are here for today.In my case I knew the person,and as many of you know I have never been the man who is stuck for words.And so I am honoured to be given this opportunity to say a few words.Note;I did say a few.Today we are here for Laurence William Crago-or Larry to many.A Father,Grand Father,Uncle,Brother And Friend.After all he suffered with his health we must today be content that he is at peace and gone to a better place,he spoke towards the end his beliefs,and I know he was at peace with his maker,and that he would be with his beloved Pam.And with that in mind we are here today to celebrate his life.To me he was just Dad which came about due to my partner,Larry,his son having the same name;It saved many complications to refer to him as Dad when in conversation with both in the room.Out of all of you here today I probably am the one who knew him for the least number of years as I met him for the first time-when he was in hospital in 2008.When he got better he made regular visits to our flat in Clifden Road and was very instrumental in helping us move into our present house.He welcomed me with open arms into the Crago family,and I had the greatest of respect for him.Yes he used to tell me of his days as a Taxi Driver,that he always had a keen eye for the girls-and that he had never been 100% an angel.That was the person of years gone by and no matter what-he was held in very high respect not just by me,but nearly everyone he encountered.He would visit us in our new house on Thursday night-and it was rare he missed.We had much in common as like him I was born in the year 1944,so we had many childhood things we could talk about.Like the local chip shops with the wurtlizer juke boxes and coloured lights they displayed,we would chat for hours on the pop scene of it's time.We talked a lot of the various Stars and their songs of our era.And with me being able to operate a computer,he was amazed when at times we got stuck,to merge a song with the singer,on the speed I could give him the answer,after googling it.He also had the country boy upbringing that I had here in Cornwall.So like me he had a love for gardening,and was over the moon when we moved into our new home where we had a garden,and each Thursday would walk around the back garden to observe its gradual development.He loved our gardens.Even his landlord Brendan Told me only a few days before he died that one of the caravans he lived in on his site he had the garden and surrounds in an excellent state,in fact a wall he built around one of his homes he carved his initials in the cement.L.W.C.1998...which is still there to this day.He was known on the site at the time as top tenant.That is how well he was respected.The humour in him often revealed itself in my house on his visits.Dad and my Larry would sit chatting away on my settee for hours with the accasional chip in from me.I can remember him asking me once how the bookings for my singing which many of you know I do voluntary raising money for Little Harbour the Childrens Hospice.I suppose as always I did not give a short reply,as he kind of looked at me-then at Larry and said,"Your doing a grand job Pete"-with a nod and a wink to Larry,which I nearly always caught out the corner of my eye.They both often took the mickey out of me-which was never intended other than tongue in cheek,and I loved the sense of humour which they both had.He was awkward and obstinate at times.And told me the male Crago's were like him-awkward and obstinate.We laughed when I said"You don't have to tell me Dad,i live with one".He did not suffer fools lightly,and called a spade a spade.I loved that honesty about him,because despite his private and reclusive way of living,he hid nothing-and was always prepared to admit the faults he had made in life.He made me laugh on one accasion when he talked of the day of an earlier marriage-and had got cold feet about marrying at the last minute.He marched off down the road to the bus stop to make his escape but,and I think he added that the bus was late and suddenly his Father turned up with the car asking where he thought he was off too,and with no uncertain terms his Dad got him into his car.So Dad did not get away-and the marriage went ahead.There were many occasions that Dad just would not take things seriously-and that one must have been one of them,but he never got away with that one.He may have appeared to many in the past as a hard nut-but he had a soft touch,and would do anything to help anyone.I can say I was proud to know the man,and proud to be accepted by the Crago family-whom he loved dearly.So on that note all I can say is:Drive carefully Dad in that wonderful new world you're in today,and I know what you are saying at this moment?With a nod and a wink."Pete you're doing a grand job".God bless you Dad for being-you.(2:15 Monday March 19th 2012).