Martin Strawson's Memorial Website

There are so many stories and lovely memories that I have that I don't know where to start. I can't find a card at the moment but he sent me a postcard of himself holding a pineapple. This was an ongoing joke about me being tricked by my geography teacher into believing that most of the pineapples in the world came from Iceland the country and were grown in little greenhouses using the natural gases to keep them warm. In my first week in Montpellier, I asked an Icelandic girl and she thought it was hilarious... from that point on, it was an ongoing joke.

He was also notorious for being an early bird. After long nights out, he'd always be first up padding around someone's living room. In the week before he passed away, we spoke on the phone and he said that he'd lost his magical waking up powers. The week before he'd been really tired as he'd been working, learning Indian cookery, Spanish and Chinese languages and he'd received a call one morning from his work wondering where he was. He'd slept until 9. He found the whole thing hilarious!

Another thing he (didn't) used to do is to buy clothes very often. I would be like come on Martin, treat yourself to new shoes, those ones are about to walk off! But they would have to drop off before he'd waste money on them. He preferred to use his
money to do fun things. And I think he was right to do what he really wanted. He would sometimes surprise us by bringing a new shirt to go out in and he'd always say £4 Oxfam!

When we went to Montpellier in 2004 for a trip, we had such a laugh staying in a flat that Martin organised for us. We went back to all the old haunts including Le Jogging karaoke bar. Martin got up and sang to us With a little help from my friends by the Beatles. It was actually really sweet rather than a funny story. We'd been really supportive at that time of his life and he was singing thank you. We all got up and finished the rest of the song off with him! I think Helen and I acted as backing dancers! lol. I also googled his name and this article came up... from his gene park days. http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/health-news/tm_objectid=15108765&method=full&siteid=50082-name_page.htmlTake

Emma Cardoso

Home Photographs Biography Tributes Message Book Funeral Transcript <Back