Graham Stratford

My Dad battled Non Hodgkins Lymphoma three times and beat it twice, the strongest person I’ve ever known. He lost his battle on 24th December 2021. I Braved the Shave for Macmillan in August 2021 to raise much needed funds for the people who helped my Dad in his fight, and I would like to do the same now. Dad was a loving son, husband to my Mum Val, Dad to myself and Grandpa to Sophia, also brother and uncle. We all have so many memories of him, Leading Firefighter for 19 years, a job he loved and missed after being medically retired. I loved going into the station as a child, although Mum didn’t find the jokes I went home with so funny 😂 A brilliant Driving Instructor, I know he taught a few of us to drive. Working through the Youth Justice System, where I know he was thought a lot of by colleagues and the youths he worked with, and he felt the same, I’ve been told by those he worked with, he always had their backs and I can relate to this as he always had mine too. My Dad was supportive of all who needed him, very funny in an inappropriate way, you had to know how to take him and also he could be Grumpy lol my daughter Sophia grew up calling him Grumpy rather than Grandpa 😂 Dad loved his dogs, always a German Shepherd, a real dog he said, he was always happy on the fields just him and his dogs. He loved to read, he got me into Stephen King, cars and motorbikes, I spent a lot of time in the garage being taught mechanics, as soon as I could reach the foot pegs I was on the back of his motorbike, going to the MotoGP and rode my own once I was old enough. Oh and we can’t forget the Rocky Horror Picture Show, he rocked a basque, fishnets and those high heels 👠 he had so many of us dressed up and going to the theatre over the years to see it. We would love to hear any stories anyone has, we have shared some of our own together and laughed through the tears, he gave us so many amazing memories and a lot to smile and laugh about.