A social media campaign has asked for local people who may have known Roy Easton, an RAF veteran and former shop worker at Goldings on Bedford High Street, to give him a fitting send-off after he died alone at his home in May.
Roy doesn’t have any known surviving family, so it’s fallen to neighbours and friends who want to pay tribute to the “kind and generous man” he was and organise a funeral.
“Sadly we know nothing of Roy’s family, we believe a sister died some time ago and the executor is trying to trace family but there is no one able to take responsibility for Roy for a funeral,” said Mr and Mrs Walker who are organising the service.
“He was a bachelor and we understand his life was his Goldings family. I have seen lots of social media posts from people saying what a lovely helpful man he was.”
Roy was said to be very proud of his service in the RAF and was a member of Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) until he died. He was also very proud of his service at Goldings where he “continued to help people”.
Roy has no relatives able to arrange his funeral so it has fallen to neighbours and friends to do so, which is why there has been a very long time between passing and his funeral.
Mr Walker added, “We have known Roy as a very generous and friendly chap to my mother-in-law, his neighbour, and as a RAFA member myself and an ex-MOD civvie with the RAF police I am privileged to be doing this for Roy.”
It’s understood a parade of standards from the British Legion and RAFA will be in attendance but local veterans, Royal British Legion (RBL) and RAFA members, and customers of Goldings who knew Roy are being encouraged to come along and pay their respects.
Roy’s funeral is to be held at Bedford Crematorium on Norse Road on Friday, September 6 at 2:30 pm.
Donations to the RAF Benevolent Fund in Roy’s name can also be made online at memorygiving.com.
