In memory of Paul Hickley (29.01.1944 - 07.01.2017)

Paul was born in Nottingham in 1944. His father was an actor, army officer, journalist and diplomat and his mother a newspaper columnist. He was educated at Dulwich Prep and Dulwich College. His main passions at school were music and aeroplanes -- both of which were to stay with him all his life.
At the age of 19, he joined the RAF as a navigator, turning down a place to read law at St. Andrew's University. He married Anthea at the age of 22 and had fathered three children - Catherine, Giles and Virginia - by the time he was 26.
His RAF career took him around the world and he moved house 22 times during his working life. Highlights included flying Vulcans, successfully completing the Aerosystems course, and a posting to RAF Wildenrath in Germany, where he carried out reconnaissance work along the Berlin Air Corridor during the last years of the Cold War in a Pembroke packed with camera equipment.
During the 1970s and 1980s all family holidays were spent in our tiny fisherman's cottage in St. Mawes, Cornwall, near to his sister Deborah, to whom he remained close throughout his life.
He retired from the RAF at the age of 48 and had a number of different jobs, culminating in thirteen satisfying years as a lecturer at Oxford Aviation College, flying planes with a private pilot's licence at weekends.
Four years ago, aged 68, he began a busy retirement schedule. Initially worried about having too much time to fill, he debated placing an ad in the local supermarket saying Sad old Granddad looking for other granddads to play jazz.
Then he discovered the U3A, and had a lot of fun with both granddads AND grandmas playing guitar in a jazz band.
He also enjoyed lots of foreign travel with Anthea; his engagement in (and presidency of) Probus; and his committee work, lectures, friendships and squiffy lunches at the Royal Institute of Navigation. Persuaded to write the official history of Sixty Squadron, he spent many months engrossed in researching and writing his book,"Holding to the Heavens," published in time for the centennial anniversary in 2016.
In the summer he celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, three children and five grandchildren on holiday in Spain. He also had a wonderful last Christmas at home in the Cotswolds with his family, enjoying accompanying his youngest granddaughter's carol-singing on the guitar.
His legacy will outlive him on so many levels. He wrote a paper advocating the use of true bearings instead of magnetic references for all civil aircraft which has been adopted by the International Association of Institutes of Navigation and submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organisation. His book will doubtless serve future generations of researchers in ways we cannot now envisage. And none of his family will ever be able to cook boeuf bourguignon, chicken saute chasseur or king prawn jambalaya without thinking of him. One of the ways he showed his love for us was with his cooking.
The RAF Benevolent Fund was the charity he chose to donate the money he raised from his lectures with Probus. It combines two of his greatest loves: family, and the RAF.
We, his family, have set up this page because so many of you have asked if you should send flowers. We would prefer this option, because we think he would have appreciated it more.
He was taken from us far too soon and was so energetic and active. We know he had a vast array of friends, colleagues and students from the various stages of his full and adventurous life.
He was a loving, extraordinarily kind husband and father. He did so much for us all and we will miss him terribly. Donations start at £2 and there is no need to give more as it is not about the money. It will give us great comfort to read your messages and memories of him here.
The funeral will be held at noon at St Peter and St Paul Church, the Square, Blockley, Gloucestershire GL53 9ES on Friday, 27 January 2017, with a buffet reception at the Manor House Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh to follow.
Much love from Anthea, Catherine, Giles and Ginia Hickley
P.S. The photo was taken in East Berlin on a family holiday at Easter time in 1989. He had to wear his number 1 uniform, and enjoyed the incongruity when we made him pose in front of the Trabi.
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