John Dunphy passed away on 10 January aged 90. 

He was born in 1927 in London and brought up by his widowed mother, four doting sisters and a clutch of aunts. 

John was originally evacuated during the war but then joined the merchant navy.  

He always fondly remembered his time at sea and had a deep appreciation of the risks run by mariners, which is why we have chosen the Apostleship of the Sea as the charity to support in his memory.

After the war, John married Marie in 1949 and had two daughters, Teresa and Celia.  John ran an off-licence in Islington where the family lived above the shop. 

In 1965, the family moved out of London down to Horsham and John went to work for Roberts, a chain of off-licences in Sussex & Surrey, based in Worthing. Originally John ran the Reigate branch and the family moved to Reigate in 1970. John then opened the Cranleigh branch before becoming Regional Manager.

In 1976 John and Marie moved to Pulborough and lived in Glebelands where John created a marvellous garden.

Shortly after they moved to Pulborough, John was made redundant when Roberts sold out and he then worked at (Royal) Sun Alliance in Horsham as a messenger until he retired when he was 65. Marie was already working there as an accounts clerk.

In 2004, John and Marie moved to Riverside Court in Pulborough where they have been very happy. Marie sadly developed Vascular Dementia and died two years ago in 2015 just before their 66th wedding anniversary. 

John & Marie are survived by their daughters and sons-in-law Teresa & Terry and Celia & David and their grandson John.


A Catholic Requiem Mass will be held on Friday 23^rd February 2018 at St Mary’s Church Pulborough at 2.00pm, followed by a grave side committal. 

All John’s many friends are welcome and, as this is a celebration of his life, please avoid 'funeral blacks’. 

Teresa & Celia