The Passing Of Eric Williams

[Ross Garrigan 2]

Eric Williams, lovingly known to us as "The Little Welshman", has passed away. Eric's daughter Linda passed on the sad news to me this morning Brisbane time.

 

I will post more details on The Speedway History Forum at the weekend. I will also email the details to all those on our Eric Williams Story mailing list.

 

To Eric's family and friends I express my deepest sympathy at this sad time.

 

"God's speedway track was ready and Dad has won his final race with honours." Linda expressed her Dad's passing with these most appropriate words.

 

R.I.P. William Eric Williams.

 

Ross.

[norbold 7,116]

So sorry to hear this, Ross. I know you have been expecting the worst for some time but it doesn't make it any easier.

 

I remember Eric well of course from his days at New Cross. He came out or retirement to ride for the Rangers and immediately got back to the sort of form he enjoyed in his Wembley days. He was always able to match the best of the opposition teams and it was unfortunate he had to miss out on the 1960 final through having to return home early.

 

I would also like to thank you and Eric for the entertaining stories you have been posting on Eric's speedway days. They have been amusing, touching and full of interesting sidelights on that period of speedway in this country.

 

My sincere condolences to Eric's family and to you too, Ross, as I know you have become very close to Eric over the last few months.

[AndyM 1]

RIP. Does anyone know how old he was?

[norbold 7,116]

He was born on 17 November 1927 making him 81.

[star ghost 7]

My condolences to Erics family & friends.

The tales he has passrd on through Rosco will last forever

Another ex- Norwich Stars man goes. They are building one hell of a side up there. No worries about averages either

[slickmick 11]

I was only a nipper when Eric Williams rode at New Cross, but he was my favourite rider, I remember badgering my Big Brother every week until I got the rosette I so coveted with his photo on it.

I had that rosette years, don't know what happened to it.

RIP Eric,

[Ross Garrigan 2]

Eric Williams passed away in the Palliative Care Unit in a Mackay hospital about 4 a.m. on Friday July 24th. He was admitted to hospital on the Wednesday. Eric's condition worsened late on Thursday night. His great friends Rob and Jenny Green were at his side during his final three hours. Eric was always telling me what a great family the Greens were and he was most appreciative of all they did for him. In Jenny's own words, "It was a peaceful passing, he was comfortable and pain free."

 

 

 

I will never forget receiving the email from Eric last November in which he told me he had cancer. It upset me greatly. I have kept his emails and letters which I treasure. This is from that November 2008 email: -

 

 

 

"This is rather difficult, as I hate to let you know that I have myeloma. Your having a bad run with Dads and Foster Dads, but big boys don't cry, especially after the terrific life I have had, and which you have described so beautifully for me."

 

 

 

To explain what Eric meant when he mentioned "Dads and Foster Dads" I will repeat a story I told on The Speedway History Forum yesterday: -

 

 

 

"I want to tell a story about the remarkable Eric Williams. My Dad and Eric had something in common, they both battled cancer bravely. I lost my Dad 13 months ago. When he was really sick in hospital Dad told us he wanted to die in his own bed in his own home. With the help of the Cancer Council and the staff at Mount Olivet we made that possible for him. During Dad's final weeks I was his principal carer and what I had to go through really got me down. During that harrowing period I had the support and encouragement of a wonderful man - Eric Williams. He emailed me almost daily and tried to keep my spirits up. When Dad died, a remarkable thing happened - Eric offered to be my "Foster Dad". Eric did things like that, a trait which endeared him to those whose lives he graced with his presence."

 

 

 

Eric struck a bad patch in early December last year and his friends feared he was about to give up the fight. At that same time he suffered a stroke, thankfully a mild one, and his two "girls" (as he called Linda and Mandy) made arrangements to come over from New Zealand to spend Christmas with their Dad. Eric just loved Christmas 2008 spent with his girls and the Greens. That gave Eric a new zest for life.

 

 

 

Eric, just like all cancer sufferers do, had his highs and lows. Through 2009 he always remained positive. Eric surprised the medical staff who were looking after him and battled on. He emailed me on one occasion and said, "My departure has been delayed."

 

 

 

In recent weeks Eric enjoyed some wonderful moments - he became a great grandfather and was thrilled when a grandson gained his pilot's licence. Eric's final week also brought him some pleasure. He just loved golf, having been a very good golfer himself prior to his cancer sapping his strength. A Pro-Am golf tournament was played in Mackay last week and Eric went out to have a look. This was made possible by a friend of Eric's offering him a "spare seat" in a motorised golf cart. Eric just loved being out on the course once again. One of the great joys in Eric's life in recent years were the occasions he played golf with Rob Green. He sent me some wonderful descriptions of their "days out". At this sad time it is some consolation knowing that The Little Welshman was still getting some enjoyment out of life during his final weeks with us.

 

 

 

It was an absolute privilege knowing Eric and working with him documenting some of the highlights of his life. He was a very special human being who brightened up so many people's lives during his stay on earth. I am proud to have been able to call Eric Williams a friend. I miss him already.

 

 

 

Ross.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Ross Garrigan

[Ross Garrigan 2]

Those who knew Eric would know of the esteem in which he held Jenny Green. Eric was forever jokingly threatening Jenny and myself with cuts to our pay if we didn't pull our socks up, me with the writing of his stories and Jenny with her P.A. (Personal Assistant) duties. What memories we have of those great times and what laughs we had. We weren't worried about the pay cuts because we were working for nothing anyway. Probably we should have been paying The Little Welshman for the privilege of his companionship.

 

Eric's passing has had a profound effect on the Green family as well. Jenny has given me permission to post this email she sent me this evening.

 

I'd better explain Jenny's reference to the "angel". A tribute to Eric is being written for inclusion in next week's Speedway Star. I emailed Jenny this morning asking her to verify a couple of points for the person entrusted with writing the tribute. I told her we had better get all the facts right or Eric would send an angel down to inform us we were going to have our pay cut again. Also, Jenny mentions Wiggs and Wiggy. That is Eric. There is a story there about how Eric got the nickname and maybe one day I might tell it. "Em" is Jenny's daughter Emma, one of the twins who Eric just adored. Emma sent me an email yesterday which left me in tears. Jenny's email: -

 

Dear Ross,

 

We've been so thrilled, proud & humbled by the love & support & wonderful messages of condolence from Wiggy's "global fan club." Like you, we miss him dreadfully already & I wish, purely for my own & my families selfish reasons, that he was still with us. His vibrant, delightful & endearing personality, his sheer love of life & his "cape diam" (spelling?) attitude are now sadly & blatantly absent in our lives.

 

While reading all the glowing, heart e-mails I blubbed all over the key board but Ross, your comment on Wigs sending down an angel to "cut our pay" alleviated my sadness considerably & tears turned to laughter - cheers .

 

To change tack slightly & at the risk of being corny, we chose a white coffin for Wigs & I especially asked for red & white flowers to be arranged in the chapel - the colours of the "The Little Welsh Wembley Lion."

 

Ross, thanks so much for replying to Em's e mail, she was thrilled with your reply, & if I'm not mistaken, is accessing the site as I write. We will include some of the wonderful tributes & comments in his eulogy. The general populous of Mackay have no idea what a legend they have - oops, had, in their midst. I so appreciate you forwarding all the correspondence on to us, thanks so much. Even we didn't realise what a legend we had in our midst, and THAT was because Wigs was such a modest & unassuming fellow, God bless him.

 

If you want to put any of my ramblings out for general viewing, please feel free.

 

A "virtual" hug for you from us all,

Jenny

[BOBBATH 467]

R.I.P Eric-another great one passes over. Thanks to you and Eric we have the wonderful series covering his memories of growing up in Wales and of his illustrious career which I have saved and refer back too frequently. All the best Ross and God Bless Eric.

[Ross Garrigan 2]

This Sunday Eric's brothers Fred and Ian, together with Eric's beloved sister Kate, will be present at Margam Abbey in Port Talbot to remember their brother.

 

Margam Abbey was a place Eric often spoke to me about. At one time Eric's grandparents lived in a little Estate cottage close to Margam Abbey when they worked at Margam Castle. Eric's father was born in that cottage.

 

Eric and Helen were married in Margam Abbey.

 

 

Eric's funeral will be held in Mackay on Thursday July 30th at 11am at the Mackay Funeral's chapel in Alfred Street.

 

Eric's body will be cremated and his ashes sent to Linda in New Zealand. A memorial service will be conducted for Eric in Hastings at a date to be determined.

 

Re Eric's nickname "Wiggs/Wiggy". Jenny's twins have the honour of being responsible for that. When they were young they couldn't pronounce "Eric" - it came out "Earwig". This then became "Wiggy". Eric had a number of nicknames, one of which he gave himself just a few weeks back. He sent me an aerogram which had a drawing of a green frog on the front of it. Eric had printed above the frog "Welsh Tadpole". We joked about it when I phoned him to tell him it had arrived here. The few times he sent me letters after that he didn't print his name on the reverse in the section where one gives the sender's details - He just printed "The Tadpole" and his address in Mackay. It's things like that which made knowing Eric so terrific.

 

[spiderweb 2]

RIP Eric

 

and thanks Ross for the work you have done a great read on what was an" Interesting life".

[Brian Hamilton 1]

Very sad news of Eric's passing.

 

I was fortunate to have seen him at Oxford riding for New Cross although it was at the end of his career. However, it

was a privilege to have had the opportunity of seeing him ride.

 

R.I.P. Eric

[Ross Garrigan 2]

Jim Blanchard has opened up his Speedway History Forum to visitors for a short period.

 

The first link to the Forum is to the "The Passing of Eric Williams" thread. This thread contains comments from Eric's daughters and Eric's friends and readers following his passing last week. Also on the thread is the eulogy delivered by Eric's great friend Rob Green at yesterday's funeral service.

 

The second link is to the home of Eric's great stories. I had the privilege of working with The Little Welshman documenting stories about his grandparents, his parents and siblings, his childhood, his teenage years, the war years, his growing interest in different forms of motor cycle competition, his start in speedway, and the period during which he was attached to the Birmingham, Cradley Heath and Wembley teams. We got as far as the end of Eric's simply superb 1954 Wembley season before he became seriously ill and passed away.

 

http://speedwayhistory.proboards.com/index...&thread=521

 

http://speedwayhistory.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=eric

[Ross Garrigan 2]

Two further speeches delivered at Eric's funeral service yesterday have been added to the top Speedway History Forum link. The speeches were made by a pair of 14 year olds, the Green twins, who adored The Little Welshman. Their father Rob Green delivered the eulogy.

[speedyguy 20]

Two further speeches delivered at Eric's funeral service yesterday have been added to the top Speedway History Forum link. The speeches were made by a pair of 14 year olds, the Green twins, who adored The Little Welshman. Their father Rob Green delivered the eulogy.

 

 

The Speedway History Form links are wonderful tributes to Eric Williams. Please take the time to look at them. I heartily endorse the hard work in paying fitting tributes to this deservedly respected rider. Well done Ross in keeping everyone fully in the picture.