Tribute to Donald Abernethy, 1935 - 2023

Dedicated to the memory of Donald Abernethy

smiling dad close up (for cushion).jpg

Ford Scholarship Class - Donald is 2nd row - 1st on the left.

Geoff King and Donald - working together with the UK Police fleets - long term testing "black box" programme

Donald and Paul (son in law) on Paul's 40th birthday when Sharne and Paul lived in Kent

Sharne and Donald walking up the path in the rain on her wedding day - Umbrella fun!

Rita chose this picture of Donald waving for the back of the Order of Service - "farewell"

Rita's 70th birthday (2007) - a fun family celebration at La Talbooth - Donald had new shoes for the party!

Rest in Peace - Cathy (1966 to 2023) and Donald (1935 to 2023) - 50% of the family gone in one year

Donald and Rita's Family home for 57 years - "Chamwood"

Donald in the racing car he designed and built in 1954 - he named it "Vesperal"

Donald and Rita - Wedding Day - March 1959 - 64.5 happy married years of love

Donald's driving passion started early - here he is at age 2 trying to drive his Dad's car!

Cathy bought Donald a Ferrari driving day for his birthday - he loved it!

One of Rita's favourite photos of Donald

Dunton test track and Research and Engineering Centre - Donald's playground!

Donald and Rita bought a memorial tree at Hyde Hall - Cathy is laughing because it was a tiny sapling!

Donald (middle) with his sister Kathena and Dad George - Northern Ireland

Donald as a baby

Donald and the girls - 2008

So happy behind the lens - Donald captured so many happy memories for friends and family

Donald and his sister Kathena - on a rare visit to Ballycastle

Donald with his Dad - arriving in England for his Ford Scholarship studies

Maylands Village Sign - Donald was a champion for this project during his time as Chair of the Council

Donald and his great friend Colin Thom from Australia (who sadly passed a few years ago)

Donald loved the stripes in the lawn - his pride and joy in the garden

So in love after all these years ... what role models for loyalty and commitment to a relationship

Togetherness in 2012

Rita's first trip to Northern Ireland - an Open Day at Donald's old school - Ballymena Academy

Cutting the wedding cake - March 1959

Lovely summer day walk in the wild flowers - Lullingstone, Kent (circa 2004)

Donald in Rita's parents garden in Hornchurch - Mum in Law (L), Cathy (circa 7 yrs) and Dad in Law (R)

Mayland Preservation area (Nipsells Chase) - Abernethy Avenue dedicated to Donald

Sapphire Wedding anniversary - Milsoms Hotel, Dedham - 40 Happy Years

Retirement project ... restoration of a Boat called "It's Only Money" - which was sold unfinished!

Vesperil - chassis framework

Donald Birthday - January 2012

Irish family at Nephew Graham's wedding (2nd from right) - Mum (L), Kathena sister (2nd L) and brother in law Bill (R)

We don't know where this was or even whose tie it was!! But love his smile here

Don and Rita by the sea in Northern Ireland

Family outing (Cathy in the front) - Rita at the back and Sharne on the rock

Donald striking a pose while Rita is picking flowers - the car in the back is Rita's Cortina (PYN 692F)!

Family outing - Donald with a cine camera on his shoulder - always capturing moments of happiness

Donald and Rita at the door of St Peters South Weald - where they had been married 25 years before

Donald in the foreground at Chamwood - with his sister and brother in law and mum (in the deckchair)

Donald playing cricket with the girls in the garden (Sharne left) and Cathy stretching ready to bat!

St Peters on the Wall, Bradwell - we used to roll down the hill together - what fun!

Summer of '63 - Sharne in the carrycot - picnic in Danbury with Donald's mum

Donald, Rita and Mush the puppy they bought in Romford market (he was the last puppy in the basket!)

Donald with Rita and his mum and almost Muush the dog! Billericay garden

Donald in the living room with Muush - in Billericay - "I love my master"!

Donald putting up a TV aerial - "satisfaction with every erection"

Donald at the beach in Frinton with Sharne (in the water .... very cold!)

Rtia's birthday - Maison Talbooth - 2019

Donald trying not to look cold! Valentine's Day 2011

Donald blowing out his birthday candles - January 2012

Donald dog training Muush in Billericay garden

Donald and Rita - April 2019 Under the Magnolia

Lawling Playing Field - one of Donald's key achievements for the village

One of many of the gratefully received condolence cards

So many themes and pictures 🥰

Last resting place in the graveyard of the Church that meant so much to Donald

First Christmas without you and Cathy - Mum made the best of it

Fun in the sun - St John with Sharne & Paul

Enjoying the sun at Sharne's 40th Celebration

Chilling in your signature shorts!

Ruby face for your Ruby Wedding anniversary in Cyprus!

Family fun - Cyprus - Ruby wedding celebration (thanks for the photo Paul)

Happy Times- thank you

This site is a tribute to Donald Abernethy. He is much loved and will always be remembered.

Fundraising

£1,085.74

Raised so far

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Fundraising for

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)

Macular Society

Fundraising

£1,085.74

Raised so far

Donate

Fundraising for

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)

Macular Society

Recent Donations

Sharne

Sharne

Geoff and June King

In loving memory of Don - a loyal colleague and dear friend.

£20.00

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Pictures

smiling dad close up (for cushion).jpg

Don with Sterling Moss

Ford Scholarship Class - Donald is 2nd row - 1st on the left.

Geoff King and Donald - working together with the UK Police fleets - long term testing "black box" programme

Donald and Paul (son in law) on Paul's 40th birthday when Sharne and Paul lived in Kent

Sharne and Donald walking up the path in the rain on her wedding day - Umbrella fun!

Rita chose this picture of Donald waving for the back of the Order of Service - "farewell"

Rita's 70th birthday (2007) - a fun family celebration at La Talbooth - Donald had new shoes for the party!

Rest in Peace - Cathy (1966 to 2023) and Donald (1935 to 2023) - 50% of the family gone in one year

Donald and Rita's Family home for 57 years - "Chamwood"

Donald in the racing car he designed and built in 1954 - he named it "Vesperal"

Donald and Rita - Wedding Day - March 1959 - 64.5 happy married years of love

Donald's driving passion started early - here he is at age 2 trying to drive his Dad's car!

Cathy bought Donald a Ferrari driving day for his birthday - he loved it!

One of Rita's favourite photos of Donald

Dunton test track and Research and Engineering Centre - Donald's playground!

Donald and Rita bought a memorial tree at Hyde Hall - Cathy is laughing because it was a tiny sapling!

Donald (middle) with his sister Kathena and Dad George - Northern Ireland

Donald as a baby

Donald and the girls - 2008

So happy behind the lens - Donald captured so many happy memories for friends and family

Donald and his sister Kathena - on a rare visit to Ballycastle

Donald with his Dad - arriving in England for his Ford Scholarship studies

Maylands Village Sign - Donald was a champion for this project during his time as Chair of the Council

Donald and his great friend Colin Thom from Australia (who sadly passed a few years ago)

Donald loved the stripes in the lawn - his pride and joy in the garden

So in love after all these years ... what role models for loyalty and commitment to a relationship

Togetherness in 2012

Rita's first trip to Northern Ireland - an Open Day at Donald's old school - Ballymena Academy

Cutting the wedding cake - March 1959

Lovely summer day walk in the wild flowers - Lullingstone, Kent (circa 2004)

Donald in Rita's parents garden in Hornchurch - Mum in Law (L), Cathy (circa 7 yrs) and Dad in Law (R)

Mayland Preservation area (Nipsells Chase) - Abernethy Avenue dedicated to Donald

Sapphire Wedding anniversary - Milsoms Hotel, Dedham - 40 Happy Years

Retirement project ... restoration of a Boat called "It's Only Money" - which was sold unfinished!

Vesperil - chassis framework

Donald Birthday - January 2012

Irish family at Nephew Graham's wedding (2nd from right) - Mum (L), Kathena sister (2nd L) and brother in law Bill (R)

We don't know where this was or even whose tie it was!! But love his smile here

Don and Rita by the sea in Northern Ireland

Family outing (Cathy in the front) - Rita at the back and Sharne on the rock

Donald striking a pose while Rita is picking flowers - the car in the back is Rita's Cortina (PYN 692F)!

Family outing - Donald with a cine camera on his shoulder - always capturing moments of happiness

Donald and Rita at the door of St Peters South Weald - where they had been married 25 years before

Donald in the foreground at Chamwood - with his sister and brother in law and mum (in the deckchair)

Donald playing cricket with the girls in the garden (Sharne left) and Cathy stretching ready to bat!

St Peters on the Wall, Bradwell - we used to roll down the hill together - what fun!

Summer of '63 - Sharne in the carrycot - picnic in Danbury with Donald's mum

Donald, Rita and Mush the puppy they bought in Romford market (he was the last puppy in the basket!)

Donald with Rita and his mum and almost Muush the dog! Billericay garden

Donald in the living room with Muush - in Billericay - "I love my master"!

Donald putting up a TV aerial - "satisfaction with every erection"

Donald at the beach in Frinton with Sharne (in the water .... very cold!)

Rtia's birthday - Maison Talbooth - 2019

Donald trying not to look cold! Valentine's Day 2011

Donald blowing out his birthday candles - January 2012

Donald dog training Muush in Billericay garden

Donald and Rita - April 2019 Under the Magnolia

Lawling Playing Field - one of Donald's key achievements for the village

One of many of the gratefully received condolence cards

So many themes and pictures 🥰

Last resting place in the graveyard of the Church that meant so much to Donald

First Christmas without you and Cathy - Mum made the best of it

Fun in the sun - St John with Sharne & Paul

Enjoying the sun at Sharne's 40th Celebration

Chilling in your signature shorts!

Ruby face for your Ruby Wedding anniversary in Cyprus!

Family fun - Cyprus - Ruby wedding celebration (thanks for the photo Paul)

Happy Times- thank you

See more in the picture gallery

Thoughts

Would have been your 65th wedding anniversary last Wednesday- the photos from 2019 popped into my phone memories- your 60th Anniversary - the telegram from the Queen and playing scrabble at Milsoms- always generous Dad with our family trips - thank you

24th March 2024

Thank you to everyone who donated so generously in Donald Abernethy's memory. The funds received have helped RNIB to continue to be there for anyone affected by sight loss, such as through our Eye Care Liaison Officer service. Last year we provided emotional and practical support from the moment of diagnosis to over 60,000 blind and partially sighted people, helping them to face the future with confidence. Thank you.

15th January 2024

I passed my driving test in June 1982 - I had the good fortune to be working in Product Planning at Ford Dunton at this time. The planners used to lend me their cars for the night if they needed me to work overtime - it was great - a steady flow of XR3, RS2000 and various other less exotic but nevertheless new lease cars. After I had either spun, dented or at one point rolled an RS1600i into a field end to end - Dad decided it was time for me to have my own car. He went with me to buy a 1.3 Escort Saloon - 4 door - XHK 201S (!) - that put an end for a while to all my speed exploits! Thanks Dad - you probably saved my life

16th November 2023

See more in the thoughts gallery

Candles

This candle has been lit by the Macular Society to express our sincere sympathies for your loss and our very grateful thanks for your support at this sad time.

Lit by Macular Society on 15th November 2023

Thanks Dad ... for so many things but especially for my love of cars, for James Hunt's autograph, endless lifts and rescues from teenage scrapes and resolving my multitudinous car accidents!! Loads of trips, holidays and family celebrations. I remember your best advice in my heart "just be yourself" - as you always were. Rest now in peace - free of pain and illness - be happy with Flodj in your next transition ❤️

Lit by Loon on 6th November 2023

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Lifestories

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£1,085.74

Raised so far

Fundraising for

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)

Macular Society

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