On Wednesday evening dad died. I’m sorry if you are discovering this now from the blog, it will be hard to take in and very upsetting, but hopefully we have managed to contact enough people to pass the message on more humanely.
For the family here at the hospital in Bristol, we knew that dad’s death had become more and more likely as the doctors and nurses struggled with the fluid and blood pressure; both signs of a struggling heart. Though we remained positive and optimistic we had come to terms with this outcome, and grieved over the last two weeks. That didn’t stop copious tears flowing when it actually happened!
We spent the last few hours with dad on the large balcony patio where he could feel the breeze and watch the clouds and distant swifts. All the family were around him and he enjoyed listening to us all being silly together. His last words were “keep on chuckling”.
Thanks again to everyone for their support and cards, he knew that you all loved him.
38 responses to “Sad News”
I’m so incredibly sade. I can’t speak, nor write… What a fantastic man. I’m grateful to have known him. LOVE Nic
Hi. My condolences to all the family and especially Diana. Thinking of you at this sad time. Don’t hesitate to call when you return up north. John.
Very, very sad. Nicky was one in a million; so full of life, always cheeky and up to mischief as well as incredibly interested and caring of others. Rufus, Tilly and Bruno call him their Northern Grandpa which says it all really.
Sending lots of love to you all and I will be over to Helmsley like a shot to give Diana a huge hug. Love Rin
Rest in peace, dearest Nicky. Fly high. Knowing you was an inspiration and a privilege.
All our love,
Justin and Gillian
We have heard the sad news this morning. Your last pictures on the hospital balcony are amazing. He was much loved.
Our sincere condolences to Diana and the family. We will miss him greatly.
I was so sad to be told Nicky had died, he was Margot’s favourite cousin and she would have been devastated. We both enjoyed the time he took us gliding. Rest in peace Nicky and my love to Diana.
Keith 0
Such very, very sad news. Mick was always like a breath of fresh air, a diplomat and a peace maker and a great supporter. He will be terribly missed. My love and thoughts to Diana and all the family.
Always mischievous in his words and actions Nick was a guy it was a privilege to have known. It was no surprise to hear that he kept his sense of humour in the past two weeks. That was the Nick we knew. He will be missed but always remembered.
Thanks to the family for this blog that has kept us up to date with events. Our thoughts are with you all.
My deep codolences to all. A superb gentleman and inspiration to all of us
who were priveleged to have met him.
Steve xxx
Nick kept me on the straight and narrow many times over the last 10 years. It was a pleasure and a privilege to know him.
Thinking of you all.
He was my oldest friend. How lucky I was to have met him when we were thirteen, and what joyous times we and later our two families had with him over the ensuing seventy years. When Corinna (our daughter) gives Diana her great big hug we hope she’ll give her an extra squeeze from us. Meanwhile, masses of love and sympathy to her and all the family.
So sorry and sad to hear of Nick’s passing
He was a good and kind man an inspiration to all who had the privilege to know him
His contribution to gliding and particularly Enterprise and Yorkshire Gliding Club cannot be under estimated
His sense of humour will live long
Gillian and all the family send our love
Patrick thank you so much for keeping us informed in very difficult circumstances
Give Diana a special hug from us all
Nick will always be in our memory
Graham
Nicky was an amazing man, so full of life, fun, mischievous, unique. I feel lucky to have known him and have some very fond memories of holidays together as a child. I hope Corinna (my sister) will also give Diana a bit of extra hug from me. Thinking of you all, with love. Phoebe (And thank you Patrick for taking the time to share his last few days with us through this blog).
Such very sad news. Nick was such a gliding inspiration with so much creativity and enthusiasm. It has been a privilege to have known Nick for so long, particularly with our shared passion for Competition Enterprise, where he gave me so much advice and support.
We will miss him greatly. Our love and thoughts to Diana and all the family.
Jon and Kathy
Dear Diana,
Our last curry supper all together at the Mynd will always be in my thoughts.
It was a huge pleasure to have known Nicky for all the Enterprise years he will be hugely missed.
Love from us all at North Hill.
Nick
I am so dreadfully sad to hear the news and my deepest sympathies go out to all the family and in particular Diana. I feel privileged to have known Nick as he was such a wonderful man and we will all miss his amazing charm and humour
I’m so sorry to hear the sad news. Nick has been an inspiration in my gliding from the first time I met him and he will be sorely missed. My condolences to Diana and all of Nick’s family at this very difficult time.
I am so sorry to hear the every sad news of Nicks passing. It was so lovely to see his excitement at coming back to the Mynd where he first soloed 70 years ago, but such a tragic outcome.
My thoughts are with Diana and his family.
Everyone at the Mynd is saddened by the news of Nick’s passing. He was a real gentleman and a good friend of the MGC. Our condolences and deepest sympathy go out to Diana and their family and friends.
So very, very sad to get the news from mum this morning. So very glad to have known and been known by Nicky- a true gent and a great person and a great friend. Much loved and will be much missed.
Thank you for sharing these photos and this blog. Thinking of you all, sending love, stamina, more love, Cxx
We were so shocked and sad to hear the news. Nick was a good friend to so many of us, positive, supportive and fun. It has been a privilege to know him and Enterprise will not be the same without him. Our thoughts are with Diana and all the family. Phil and Diana
Dear Diana and family,
We are so sorry this great sadness has befallen you. We will always remember the twinkle in Nick’s eye and his mischievous sense of humour. He showed great courage and fortitude in the face of adversities. He was a long time, much cherished friend and an inpiration to us. We will miss him greatly.
We send you all our love,
Lindsay and Sarah.
Diana and family.
So sorry to hear the sad news about Nick.
Deepest condolences
Tom Edwards K8
Nick’s positive approach to life was an example to us all. I and many others will miss his is wise advice, delivered with a twinkle in his eye and a wicked sense of humour. So sad to lose him.
Steve Thompson
Dear Diana and family,
so sorry to hear that Nick has lost his courageous battle. Nick’s company was always a joy. He was great fun and a real gentleman. An inspiration in the gliding world and a real enterprising pilot. He will be missed, but always thought of with a smile!
Love Cathy
It is still sinking in. I was lucky to have had such a genuine, kind, adventurous and very funny uncle throughout my childhood and life.
Sending you all much love and strength. Tamsin, David, Amber and Arlo xxxx
Dear Diana & family
Such sad news. We will always treasure the times we had together. Such a lovely man with a great sense of humour, always cheerful and positive with seemingly never a bad word for anyone.
Our thoughts are with you all, especially Diana.
Jenny and Mike
We felt that we were only just getting to know Nick and Diana through attendance at Competition Enterprise. We are both very sad to hear this news and wish Diana and the rest of the Gaunt family all the very best in this difficult time.
Dear Diana and family
Such sad news. He was an amazing inspiration to us all, great fun, but also so kind and thoughtful to others.
Obviously, very much loved.
Our thoughts are with you.
Bryony, Richie and Emily xxx
There was something missing from my life until I met more of the people from Enterprise and Sutton Bank. Since meeting Nick, I wish I had met him and Diane and earlier and wish I could have spent more time with him – in the air and on the ground. So cruel to have him taken away when he was still so young and capable. There is something missing again.
My condolances to Diane, his familiy and all his friends.
David
Dear Diane and family,
Just heard this very sad news from John and Sheila Goodall. I’m so sorry. Nick was a close friend of Dad’s (Mike Carter). They shared many happy times at YGC together. They will be flying somewhere together now no doubt. What a wonderful photo of you all together outside. So precious.
Alison x
We all feel sad. But glad we managed to visit Helmsley in November to see Nicky and Diana after covid lockdowns made travel difficult. He was the best uncle. We will miss him. Life is butter melon cauliflower.
Sorry to learn of “Mr. Nicholas” passing (as bosses in’t mill were traditionally referred). Fond memories of my foundation years in textiles. Hopefully I managed to continue the somewhat thoughtful, unconventional approach and in the same good humour. It wasn’t all gliding; there was a good amount of stewardship of a business that provided livelihoods for many families in the Farsley area of Leeds; and kept the legacy of wool textile manufacturing alive long enough to provide a sound foundation for some of us to carry on a lifelong immersion in the industry. Best wishes to the Gaunt family and all affected.
I can only echo Matthew’s sentiments above.
Nick was a marvellous, kindly, witty chap and someone it was always a pleasure to visit in Broom Mills.
A loss to us all, but particularly the Gaunt family of course.
With my deepest sympathies.
Sean echoes thoughts of many of us in the textile industŕy. Nick put me forward for Bradford Textile Society membership many years ago. As Hon Life Member of the Bradford Textile Society I am sure I speak for many members in remembering the difference he made to many lives over time. RIP Nick
Gliding seems to bring some exceptional characters into ones orbit, but this man was of the cream who seriously enriched our experience of a very special sport.
Thank you Nicky for your company, all the good times, the fun and the especially cherished memories.
Rodney and Sue Witter
Oh, dear, simply the nicest man I ever met…I have only just discovered this because I wrote to Nicky saying I would love to call in and see him with Diana on a trip North as we lost touch when my mother died and he wrote back to say he would follow up. I’m heading to North Yorkshire in July so just went online to check the address again and saw the tragic news. My thoughts are with you all, Patrick, Rachel, Diana and family. If a message could go to Diana that I will be in the area in early July and it would be so lovely to see her again. I am writing a letter as I write.