More than 2 months after his death, tributes are still pouring in for the well-known and much loved fisherman, Wally Dewsnip.
Mr Dewsnip passed away on the 28th of August, after coming home from a long stay in hospital. He was found dead after his star lift went upstairs. The many tributes paid show that he was a much-loved and respected man, both in his local area and as part of the wider fishing community.
A fan of fishing
In his lifetime, Wally Dewsnip’s biggest passion was arguably fishing. I say ‘arguably’, but when you consider his local newspaper column, his radio show and the fact that he generally enjoyed fishing a lot, it’s safe to say fishing was his passion.
Whilst his newspaper column, Fishing on Friday, was for a local newspaper, his radio show The Gloucester Citizen was broadcast on BBC radio. When he wasn’t fishing, it seems he was either writing or talking about it, meaning that I think it’s safe to say it was a hobby that was very close to his heart.
He even received an award from the Irish Tourist Board for promoting fishing in the country; suggesting that his influence spread a great deal further than his home in Gloucester.
An Untimely Demise
Wally ultimately died after coming home from a six-month spell in hospital. It was quickly after coming home that he passed away. So quickly, in fact, that he had peacefully died before his stair lift had reached the top of the stairs.
One could easily make reference to the hospital treatment or the idea of this particular staircase to heaven being a little less glamorous than Wally might have expected, but perhaps it was the simple warm comfort of home that put him at peace. Anyone who’s stayed in a hospital before knows they aren’t the most comfortable or relaxing of places, even when you’re just visiting a patient.
It’s hard to imagine a six month stay in such a building if you’ve never done it. I wouldn’t blame anyone for being happy just to get out, looking forward to nothing more than relaxing in their own home.
In short, it’s safe to say that Wally’s demise left a big gap in the lives of many people in the local area. His influence spread far and wide through his many media outlets, and he is certain to be remembered as one of the most well-known characters in Gloucester.
In fact, it’s probably not stretching things too far to say that even the fish are likely to miss him!
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This article has been written by Tracy Smith a London Nurse