Ray has faced many challenges throughout his life which he has overcome through great determination always with a good outcome.

 

 

At an early age both his parents had died when he was a toddler living in Portland, Dorset. From there he went to live with relatives in Kent where he soon went to the local village elementary school. From there he made it to Canterbury College grammar school, a significent achievement from his humble rural beginnings.

 

 

After leaving grammar school he went into the RAF and became a Sergeant pilot within Bomber command. Twice he came back from missions with him being the only person not severly injured or dead on his aircraft giving others another chance at life. And more challenge was given to him when he had to make a quick decision to save a life by performing an amputation in the field with a shovel. His luck still held out when he was shot down and had to make his escape to Spain. He didn;t necessarily agree with all the missions being undertaken at the time or since but still under took them. This was because he understood what was going to happen to population centres that would be devastated. It was something he recognised he had to live with.

 

 

After the RAF he continued his education at University College London on a grant provided for his war service. He did not make it on one paper one year and had to take the whole years papers again without the grant. So he had to work his way through University that year by working nights at a bakery... burning the candle from both ends without a doubt.

 

 

He married Mary and had four children (Angus, Fiona, Jane and Clare) with twelve grandchildren (Charlotte, Amelia, Caitlin & Zachary; Thomas, Stephanie & Benjamin; David, James & George; Nicholas & Carla).

 

 

He went to work in the power generation industry around the globe, working for just two companies in his life time; AEI and Mott MacDonald. He was quick to see at the time of change of government in the early 70s caused by economic recession the need to relocate from London to Brighton and move into a company with a great growth potential.

 

 

He loved to travel. Working and travel, how he accomplished both things that he loved to do, at times seemed impossible. A sucess being the hard assignment in Libya before the time of embargos being lifted by the international community. Other times to great acclaim in Malaysia. He loved to holiday in Dorset where his early life began as well as continental holidays. Always adventurous, for the time, if he could with caravaning or camping and sailing.

 

 

Another great love of his was sport. In the RAF he loved playing rugby and encouraged his grandchildren to do the same. He loved sailing in small boats when his children were young. Sailing at Brighton in Sussex at weekend and Swanage in Dorset for the summers. When his children were teenagers yachts were then his interest then, along with playing golf. Always wanting to be outdoors looking at how to do better at sport. When he traveled for work he did try sail or to play golf. It got interesting when working in the middle east working out what was a bunker, a fairway or a green by the use of different coloured sand in pioneering areas of such countries back in the seventies and eighties. Now its all developed with world class facilities.Towards the end of his life he got involved in playing Bridge with a passion. There was a circle that traveled around Brighton and Hove. Later on as the circle got smaller he became involved in the Bridge at the Martlets Hospice where he demonstrated his skill.

 

 

Not only did Ray like to take part in sport but he also liked to follow the local teams in Brighton. In particular he like to follow the Albion.  He passed his passion for the team on to the grand children who lived locally, who joined Gullies Gang. He used to be a season ticket holder until he could not attend games any more due to ill health. Then he was an avid follow on the radio and got a DAB radio to have the better quality to listen in on. When he move to the Martlets Hospice and he was sleeping he had the nurses and carers come in and leave the score for the match he missed on the notice board and any notes on the highlights from the match.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit the page in memory of Ray Goldfinch that is  fund raising for the  Martlets Hospice, via JustGiving. The Martlets Hospice provided wonderful care for Ray in the last month of his life concentrating on his well being and comfort.

 

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Martlets Hospice and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the Martlets Hospice.

So please dig deep and donate now.