Tribute to 'one of life's nice guys' (From Penarth Times)

Tribute to 'one of life's nice guys'

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Penarth man who will be remembered as "one of life's truly nice guys."

Bob Jones collapsed suddenly on the platform of Queen Street station in Cardiff on September 30 aged 49.

Despite the help that was immediately on hand he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Bob leaves behind two daughters Kathryn and Sarah and a stepson Mark. He will also be remembered for a lifelong association with Old Penarthians rugby club.

Tony Crimp, club secretary, said: "I would like to express my condolences to Bob's family on behalf of everyone at the Old Pens. We will all miss Bob's friendship, he was truly one of life's nice guys. The club was always close to his heart and funnily enough of the four houses Bob lived in Penarth none was more than a five-minute walk away from the ground.

"It is one of life's little ironies that Bob should have passed away on the platform of Queen Street station as one of his big hobbies aside from rugby was trainspotting."

Bob Jones was educated at Penarth Grammar School and went on to pursue a career in insurance which took him to London for a year. Bob was a former first team member of the Old Pens and a prominent member of the club's front row during the 1980s.

He played over 140 games for the senior side between 1980 and 1986 after making his senior debut at Tylorstown in February 1980.

He later went on to cut his teeth in coaching with the Penarth minis and juniors.

Roy Churchill of the Old Penarthians said: "The shock waves are still with us but it was a measure of the esteem in which the man was held that last Thursday's funeral service was held in a packed Trinity Church.

"Robert Jones was truly one of life's nice guys and the heart attack that struck so cruelly was premature in the extreme. He will be missed by all those who were privileged to have known him."