John's funeral

John's funeral service was held in Holy Trinity Church, Coventry. At the service, Graham van der Lely gave this Address.

Sue has asked me, as a long-standing friend of John and of the family, to say a few words. This would be easier if it was perhaps thirty years or so in the future, after a reasonable span of life. Instead we are all shattered by his short but devastating illness, and death at the age of 52.

John has been a good friend to me, for virtually the whole of my life. A friend in the best sense of the word. I've known John since the age of four or five. We lived a few hundred yards away from each other, and so we grew up together as childhood friends, and remained so for the rest of our lives. As a young boy, during holiday time, I was delegated the task, by his mother, of persuading him to get out of bed in the morning. It was not that he was lazy - his bedroom was a powerhouse of intellectual activity. He was invariably reading. John had a huge appetite for acquiring and reading books - anything from adventure novels, science fiction, to the current political and economic situation in the Middle East. He possessed a calm and gentle disposition, and had a finely tuned sense of humour. He loved to record the Goons, and enjoyed the satire of the late 60s, especially if it meant reducing down to size some self-important member of the Establishment. I will have an everlasting memory of him finding humour in all sorts of reading matter, and frequently laughing out aloud.

As he grew older he developed a strong feeling for the history of art and architecture. He developed advanced skills in photography, as a means of recording his visits to old buildings and churches of artistic value. He loved to travel - I remember he was fascinated by a school trip to Russia. Later, together with Mike Summers, he drove to Egypt and back in a Morris Minor van, so he was not without a sense of adventure. On holiday with him once in Italy, when he was about 20, his interest in history and fine buildings meant that he couldn't resist visiting any church or monastery we passed. In ten days I'd probably seen and studied the inside of more Baroque and Rococo churches than the average person sees in a lifetime. Photos would be carefully catalogued and filed for future reference. Mind you, he had other interests - the chief purpose of the trip to Italy was really to visit his Italian girlfriend.

John accumulated a vast amount of knowledge and he possessed an intellect to match, yet he was always modest, and self-effacing. There was no affectation. His interest in music started with a preference for early music, church music, Monteverdi, Purcell, Vivaldi... music which complemented his interest in the art and architecture of that period. He developed a love for a wide range of music, and there was nothing he liked more than a Rattle concert, with a Mahler or Bruckner symphony, followed by a pint at a nearby pub to recover.

John was gentle and kind, generous in spirit and action. He had a natural compassion. He cared about people, and showed that by action as well as words. Often it was the small touches that one noticed - unannounced newspaper clippings or articles would appear through the post from him, on a subject he knew was of interest to you. And when my mother was ill during her last few years, he frequently visited her, taking time off from a busy work schedule.

John studied at Cambridge - Law in the first year, Economics in the second year, and History of Art in the third year. He enjoyed the third year most. Afterwards he studied Business Management at Cranfield which stood him in good stead particularly in years to come.

He chose to make a career in the commercial world, and enjoyed being involved at the sharp edge, although a career in academia or research might have suited his capabilities just as well. In 1985, frustrated with his job and outdated management working practices, he decided to set up his own business. He could see an opening in the marketplace for a specialist computer manufacturer, offering services and equipment at a time when the world with computerisation was just starting to enter a new age. This was a courageous decision, starting a business from scratch, and entering a highly technical and ever-changing field. Within a few years he had developed a highly successful business. The economic fluctuations later meant there were times of retraction, but unlike many businesses in that area he survived. His ability to assimilate information, his attention to detail, and his complete integrity were, I'm sure, important factors.

During these years of course, he had the support of Sue, who he was lucky enough to meet in 1976, and married two years later. He became the proud father of Iain and James. A caring father, he was justifiably proud, and particularly proud of their musical achievements. Sue and the boys had been a great comfort to John during his illness, and have shown remarkable courage.

It was obvious a few years ago that John was feeling restless. He was looking for a property to convert into his idea of a perfect home to live [in]. Somewhere with character, and history, which he could identify with. A way of expressing his love of art and history. After looking at various possibilities, he came across Bartholomews, and could not resist the temptation of converting a church into the Shepherd household. Needless to say, the history of the church and the surrounding area were thoroughly researched by John. Plans and design were finally agreed, but John was not able to start in earnest until 18 months ago. It must be of great regret that he did not live to see his project completely finished. I am thankful, though, that at least a good deal of the work was done, and he saw his dream partially fulfilled.

It is difficult to believe that John is no longer with us. Seeing John, sometimes after several months, was always an occasion to look forward to. There was no fuss - conversation would carry on where we left off before. Topics of conversation were diverse. Being in his company was like coming home, being in a safe haven.

His illness was short, and gave him little time to become adjusted to the inevitable. But he did adjust. He showed enormous resolve, and courage, and he is an example to us all. Even in the last weeks he took the trouble to ask after people, and supply me with maps and books for an imminent holiday. He had never been one to make heavy weather of his own problems.

He had never shown a commitment to any particular religion, but as Sue as said, he gained much comfort during the last few weeks, and particularly the last few days, from Psalms and readings from the Bible, and from the Christian faith. He took comfort from Sue and the boys, Mary and Brian and family, who gave so much support, and from his friends.

To say we will miss you, John, is perhaps the understatement of the century. But at least we will have many happy memories. We will remember you for the rest of our lives, with the greatest of admiration and with so very much affection.