Anthony McKeown

To The Family & Friends I Left Behind, Love Tony Mac xx


I stood by your bed last night; I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying. You found it hard to sleep.
I called to you so softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, and I’m here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
you were thinking of the many times your hands reached out to me.
I was with you at the shops today. Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels; I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not just lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my hand on yours; I smiled and said, "It's me."
You looked so very tired and sad, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me to be so near you each day.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "Good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out... then come home to be with me. xxx



IN LOVING MEMORY OF ANTHONY MCKEOWN 5/4/41 - 8/11/2002


Anthony Mckeown suddenly passed away on 8th Nov 2002, He was my dad and i miss him so much , He was always there for me to lend a hand when i needed him, He has two other chidlren from a previous marriage Joanne & Peter they are both older than myself and i managed to find them both using the internet i also set up a meeting with them as my dad had not seen either of them for many many years, It was very hard for both me & my dad but it was lovely to meet them both at last, Sadly for whatever reason we didnt ever meet again as they both felt it wasnt a good idea to stay in contact, When my dad died i did let them both know & they also sent flowers on the day of his funeral, A nice Gesture !!
It is a shame as it would have been nice to have a brother & sister,

My dad was a very proud man he was also very strict when i was younger, I didnt get away with much but this opened my eyes and made me the person i am today and i am sure my dad would be really proud of me and my family,

It was my father in laws 60th birthday when my dad passed away, I was at their house making sandwitches for the party that night, My dad had been working nights and was at home getting a bath and going to bed whilst we sorted out the club for the party, My mum was at work,
At five oclock we had finished all the food and set it all out at Bolton Woods Social Club,
To save my mum getting buses home i thought i would pick her up & drop her home as my mum & dad lived on the same street as me, My mum came out of work and i drove home chatting away about the night ahead, When we reached my mums house she asked if i was going in and i told her no as i was going home to sort out the kids tea and to get them ready for the party,
My mum got out and i came round home,
Just as i had pulled into my drive i heard my mum screaming

"Call An Ambulance"Call An Ambulance"

Theres something wrong with your dad !!

I ran into the house and told my husband to call an ambulance as there was something wrong at my mums, i then ran round to my mums, I did not expect to see what i saw, There layed on the floor was my dad,

He looked terrible, he was layed naked on the dining room floor, He was the first thing i saw when i walked into my mums house,

I couldnt believe it, What had happened, He wasnt ill, He was ok ,

i ran outside screaming,

I could not understand what was happening my poor dad was purple & mottled.

When the ambulance arrived they said what we already knew,

They could do nothing for him,

Apparantly he passed away around 9am that morning so he had been layed there all day whilst i was preparing for a party, I wasnt there when he needed me, Everything was going through my mind lots of what ifs & if only, What if he was calling my name in his last moments, What was going through his mind at the end, So many questions that nobody could answer !!

The ambulance crew said it was heart failure and he wouldnt have known a thing, They said my dad would have been a little out of breath and then he would have fallen to his death, It would of been as quick as turning on a light, They say he wouldnt have known or felt anything.

The evening took its toll we was all in shock & a little dazed,

The police arrived as it was a sudden death, they sat with my dad along with my husband waiting for the coroners ect to arrive, My mum was over the road at her friends house Jenny,
(Jenny was a godsend and really looked after my mum over the coming months & i could never thank her enough for getting my mum through this sad time)
It was getting late now and the phone calls started coming asking why we was not all at the party, I pressumed Stephen had made some excuse as I didnt want anybody to know what had happened as my dad was a great friend of my father in laws and i didnt want his birthday spoiling, So i said we would have to go and pretend nothing had happened till the day after and then we would tell our family & friends the sad news,

I made sure my mum was okay & told her I would have a drink for my dad as he wouldnt have missed the party for the world,

He always enjoyed a good knee's up with his friends & family in the club,

I then went home and got in the bath,
dont ask me how i functioned as to this day i do not know but i went to that party and i got hammered !!

People there already knew what had happened, I didnt know how they knew & I didnt ask, But they knew and the drinks on my table lined up thick & fast and i downed every one within seconds,
I enjoyed myself the best i could,
I was with family & friends and although we didnt make it a morbid night they all looked after me and we drank a toast to my dad,

Some people probably couldnt believe i could even go to the party,

Some even said " How come you are here "

But if they knew my dad they would also know i had to be there !!

I had to be there for him !!

He was really looking foward to the party so i went on his behalf,

I also drank his share !!


I even danced and smiled and laughed i have all the photos to prove it too,

Are these the actions of a child that has just lost her father ?

I really have no idea but that is what i did, It was all like a nightmare my last thoughts at night where oh my god i have no dad or my dad is dead,

It was the same every time i woke up,

It hit me " Wham "

This went on for as long as i could remember although it did get easier, & now years on its easier still, But it still hurts, There really isnt a day goes by when i dont think of my dad, It doesnt hurt as much anymore, Life is easier now, I dont crumble at the sound of his name, I dont cry every time i think of him, I can now smile and giggle at some of the happier times,

like when he plugged in his new microwave and it spoke to him he nearly cacked himself !!

Or the time when he got his first mobile phone, It was like something out of the ark, A great big thing, Do you remember them ? they came out when you could only get one ringtone & everyone that had a mobile had that ringtone,

You get the picture!!

I went upstairs and rang my dad on his mobile to make sure it was set up & ready to go,

Well it rang and it rang and it continued to ring,

Im screaming down the stairs telling him to answer it,

His reply " I would If I Knew How "


So downstairs i went and showed him what to press to answer,

Ahhhhh he said ok then !!

Back upstairs i went to call him again,

Yayyyyy he answered !!

But i couldnt hear anything ?

Downstairs i went , to see my dad stood in the middle of the front room holding the mobile to his mouth and saying hello into the earpiece !!

He was using it as if it was a walkie talkie !!

At this point I had lost the will to live & had thrown the manual at him telling him to read it !!!

Technology just wasnt his thing !!

My dad used to be really strict but all of sudden he changed,

He became fun to be with, He seemed to mellow overnight when i was about 15 years old, Before this time he was horrid, Oh my god i remember i hated him, He scared me to death,

If he rose his voice I was off !!

Friends wouldnt come to my house unless he was out !!


But as i grew up he changed he became a proper dad,
Treated me as a daughter,
I could talk to him and he would listen,

He became my world & i became a daddies little girl
(a bit old at the age of 18 but i didnt care)


When you first met my husband Stephen

"Your first words To Me " Where the hell did you meet that "

I so laugh at that dad as you was so wrong, You loved him as if he was your own son, You was proud of our marriage and prouder still of your Grandchildren,

You & Mum was welcomed into thier family immediatly and they also became your family, We just fitted in straight away and was welcomed,

What a great bunch always there to help each other out no matter what, Argue like cat n dog as well but wen the **** hits the fan we all unite and are always there for eachother, If it wasnt for Stephens family, & some good friends, Me and Mum wouldnt have coped with losing you i dont think,

Life gets easier as i said,

Now I remember the good times and smile,

I remember the times when you was always there to help anybody out in any way that you could, You was always the first at the bar to get the drinks in, You where always the one to make a toast to absent family & friends at family gatherings.

You didnt get the chance to say goodbye to those close to you Dad but i know you thought a lot of your friends new ones & old,

You had some fun with Your Mate Wayne over the years, Your group nights out with Wayne Joanne & the rest of the crew all toured Rochdale on a weekend normally ending up at the Transport Club then back to who evers house for curry, This would always end up with Joanne asleep in her curry, Without fail it was a regular occurance !!

You also enjoyed your last holiday with Wayne Joanne and thier family & apart from the ants in the tent you had a fantastic time !!

You holidayed in Greece with your Brother In Law Brian & his wife Jean sadly dad i think most off this holiday was spent carrying mum home from the pubs after one too many !!

My uncle Brian misses you lots & wants you to know he still wears your sleeper in his ear,

Robbo was also a great friend and all the lads & lassies at the Bolton Woods Social Club,

Big Thanks To

Uncle Brian & Auntie Jean
Jenny Houghton
Robbo & Carol
Wayne / Joanne & Kids
Chris Harrison
Sharon Robinson
Donna / Dave Jowett
Brenda & Les Briggs
Maxine Robinson
Andrew Varey
Charon & Adam
Lisa & Dwight
Lynsey & James
Sue & Dave
All At Peter Blacks For The Collection They Did When My Dad Passed Away
All At The Bolton Woods Social Club
And anybody who i may have forgot


Thank You All For Being A Part Of My Dads Life,

You where special Dad & at the end

A Perfect Dad To Me & Great Father In Law To Stephen, The Perfect Grandad To Our Children,&
A Fab Friend To Many


This page was made in memory of Anthony Mckeown
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