I was invited recently to say a few words at the funeral of Dave Broadhead, which, with your indulgence, I repeat in part here.
We have all witnessed tragic events affecting Dave and Marion's family in the past several years. Through adversity, their love and family bond has somehow carried them through.
Many people have commented on what a nice, kind person he was and also... such a character.
The world needs nice, kind people who are characters, and we will miss him.
He was, however, much more, and here I share some of the thoughts of Tony Cawte, first introduced to Dave almost 40 years ago by his niece Sharon.
This was about Dave the innovator. Tony called at his house and Dave was fitting a sunroof to his Range Rover using Perspex and a hairdryer. It fitted and never leaked.
Another time, Dave told Tony he was going to get some red-bellied piranhas. Tony called a couple of weeks later and there was a massive fish tank, half the size of the room, with just a couple of piranhas in it.
Tony asked Dave where he got it.
And yes, the answer was he made the tank himself and the wooden stand it was stood on.
One Sunday, Tony called around at Dave's house and Dave was reading a newspaper, utterly perplexed at the price of a wardrobe he found advertised.
'I like it, but it is so overpriced,' he said.
A week later, Tony called past. Dave was again reading his paper, except next to him was that wardrobe.
'So you bought it then?' Tony asked.
Dave said: 'No, I made it. I said I could... and I did it for half the price.'
Another one was when Dave was cutting up pieces of chip shop paper. And what was he doing? Only designing an oversized petrol tank for a Yamaha EXUP for them both to do the endurance race together.
Tony had no idea how, but sure enough, a few weeks later, there it was - a perfectly fitting oversized aluminium petrol tank.
Dave bought a Sierra Cosworth from one of Tony's friends. He dismantled it and modified it to the point it was almost undriveable.
Tony drove it and said you could literally watch the chassis twist due to the ridiculous power it produced.
It was more like a drag racing car, all done by Dave in his garage.
One other example of Dave's ingenuity. A long time ago, Dave wanted one of these computer things to explore the internet.
Tony 'borrowed' a bag of parts from his then employer and said he would come back the next week to help set it up.
Less than a week later, Tony received an email from Dave, who had worked out how to build it, connect to the internet and create and send an email.
Tony said Dave was his best friend.
'Throughout my racing days and other times, we had many experiences. We laughed, we joked, did some pretty dodgy stuff and his passing has left a void that will never be filled. He was a loving, caring and loyal person.'
Norman Kneen shared some of his memories of Dave's results from Jurby Airfield and Road and the Southern 100.
Looking back, there were some great riders featured at the time, including, of course, Joey, Mike Kneen, Roger Sutcliffe, Steve Moynihan, Ronnie Russell, Kenny Harrison, Graham Cannell, Kevin Wilson, Rob Brew, Phil Kneen, Richard Coates, Roger Hurst, Jamie Garrett, Chris Fargher, Decca Kelly, Squeek Eaton, Chris Grose, Gary Radcliffe, Geoff Kelly, Dick Cassidy, Dave Raybon, Sean Collister, Buddy Yeardsley, Roger Luckman, Ian Ogden, Danny Shimmin, Flip, Des Connor, Ade Critten, Kenny and Richard Kneen and so many more.
That era produced some great riders.
I had forgotten, but was reminded, that Dave had raced a Kawasaki 750cc triple.
They were considered wild on the road, so much more of a challenge racing, but Dave was always up for it!
Latterly, some of us have had an occasional get-together with Dave at the Peveril in Peel. Really quite civilised and not quite as exciting as when we would regularly attend the Douglas Head Hotel or Port Soderick for bands such as Black Mass and Nasty Piece of Work, as well as attending the big rock band nights at the Lido.
I have an admission. It's OK because I already disclosed it when covering the 1970s show on Manx Radio recently.
Dave emailed into the studio and requested Mott the Hoople. I didn't have the piece he asked for, but I did remind him about how he, as a character, and me, being a bit wacky, used to dance together. Well, you could call it that.
Usually after a few bottles of Newcastle Brown at Port Soderick!
I wondered if I would be able to get a TT Special from the Junior Manx Grand Prix race in 1981. Who did I ask?
Barry Wood, of course. And yes, he was able to lend me his copy, which covered Dave taking his place in TT course history.
Dave first raced in the Lightweight Manx in 1978, finishing 12th. In 1979, he was placed 14th in the Junior and seventh in the Lightweight.
1981 was the second year in succession there was a local winner of the Junior Manx. The 1980 event was won by Mike Kneen. He was the first local winner since 1957, when Alan Holmes scored his historic double victory in the Junior and Senior races.
Dave started at number 73 in the race and to win from that position is, in itself, a remarkable achievement.
Not only that, but he recorded a new lap record in the 350cc class on lap two, which was exactly equalled by Rob Vine on lap three at 107.95mph.
After the race, Dave commented that he had no problems except for the fact that his Yam would not rev over 10,000rpm because the weather was so much better than when they set the carbs.
He was garlanded at the finish by Eddie Crooks, himself a former Manx Grand Prix winner.
Their joint lap record in the class stood for a full decade, only to be taken in 1991 by Dave Milling.
It is reported that his journey to the stage in the Villa Marina to be greeted as winner of the 1981 Junior Manx and York Trophy was pretty exciting, as the sledge was given a rough ride!
So, finally, back to Dave being a kind person.
Like many 'also-rans', I had tried to obtain sponsorship from some of the top sponsors who had great bikes, without success, other than when Neil Kelly loaned me Dougie Bridson's Honda 460cc Four, which was a lovely bike but not a race winner, even in much better hands than mine.
Dave and Marion trusted me to use Dave's race-winning 350cc TZ Yamaha a couple of years after his race victory in the Manx.
I had never sat on a TZ before the last practice session and, thanks to their kindness, I finished the race on his lovely bike.
Just one example of a modest, quite reserved guy with a big heart who quietly helped so many others.
An unassuming gentle giant.