Robert Ainsley Elliott (22 Oct 1937 - 17 Jun 2017)

Bob passed away peacefully in Coventry Hospital after suffering heart problems. He will be sadly missed by both our families and many friends.

Bob was born in Durham just before the outbreak of the war, to a family who owned a well established building firm, with whom he served his apprenticeship. He became a meticulous carpenter (Geordie Master Carpenter their friend Geoff used to call him).

He enjoyed sport and travel. He joined the RAF to see the world and ended up in hospital with a slipped disc. Nothing to do with the square-bashing, etc. he blamed it on rowing on the river Wear the day before he went to join up. Newcastle United was his football club and he played himself as well as basketball.

He came down to the midlands in 1961 for work, to join his friend Norman and to get away from a fiancée (people up there often married the girl "next door", as was expected). But he met Jan in the Locarno Ballroom in Coventry and he soon ensconced himself in digs around the comer in Daventry Road where he met the lads including Mike West, Liz’s husband. They married in 1965 and Jan says he was a very loving, caring and romantic husband. He often bought her flowers and she'll miss that.

He worked in Coventry for a while but then joined Bovis on Marks & Spencer work which took him all around the country often working away from home. Later he joined Gallifords where he met Ivan & Colin and they got involved with high quality projects, for the National Trust, etc., and they asked him to join them. He was very honoured to work at such a high level.

Jan and Bob enjoyed Squash & Badminton together and latterly cycling, birdwatching and dancing where they met some lovely local people. He did the odd bit of Conservation work, for instance in the sensory Garden @ Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve and was always happy to chat with Jan’s Conservation pals.

They travelled extensively both in the UK and abroad. He enjoyed working on their house and garden but sadly in the last couple of years he was unable to pursue his work and Jan has an unfinished bridge if anyone wants to take up the challenge to complete it.

He was a gentleman who liked to hold the door open for ladies and was very kind hearted; he would do anything for anyone given the chance. He was never in a hurry, always had time to talk to folks.

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TRIBUTE by Maureen Taplin,

There are many of us here today who have known Bob for a long time.

I met Bob at almost the same minute Jan did, when he came up to her asking for a dance at the Coventry Locarno ( I was always THE OTHER ONE). The tall blonde Geordie stayed around and I watched them fall in love. The 3 of us were friends from that time & I was included in their lives always, a sort of honorary sister, until a few years later when Peter came on the scene and made it a foursome.

There was nothing 'not to like' about this lovely man. Bob was always friendly to everyone, his northern warmth shone through wherever he was. He liked nothing better than to chat with people around him and always had so many stories to tell. In all that time, I rarely heard Bob say a bad word about anyone, no dislike, no aggression, Bob always saw the best in people & he looked no further. He was always the same, a kind, modest man, content with life, he helped so many people and was always loyal to his many friends. We certainly could not have spent so long in Spain these past 19 years were Bob not to call each week check our Rugby house & the dreaded post.

On their travels he & Jan explored the world, their Long haul adventures completed years ahead of the rest of us. Bob could recall visits to any city he and Jan had visited and describe it with enthusiasm as if it were yesterday. He always got the most out of everything he did. Later in life, his love of photography gave him another angle of description.
Sitting on the plane with Bob on a memorable holiday to the Caribbean, he kept me entertained with his tales & we chatted for 8 hours. I loved that, while Jan & Peter enjoyed a quieter travelling experience.

Jan and Bob lead a really happy life together, content in their lovely home which Bob worked so hard on, both with their own hobbies and joint interests when we all played badminton and a few years ago they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary wanting nothing more than to have their friends all around them, as we are today.

Living close by, Bob was always calling at our house, he would take us as he found us....have a cup of tea, a chat & off he would go, on to the gym or into Rugby on his bicycle, an extremely fit man for the majority of his life. He will be so sadly missed, not only by Peter & I, but so many friends.

Bob wanted a change from his Durham life, came down to Coventry to work & join his lifelong friend Norman and by chance met Jan and they fell in love. So although his heart, and his accent, were always in Durham, he stayed here from then onwards, so in the words of the song that Liz (another long time friend) will sing, ....'Love changes everything' ....and that trip to Coventry really did.

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