This site is a tribute to my Dad, Colin Horne, who was born in Purley, Croydon on March 17, 1944. Dad sadly passed away after a sudden illness on the 8th August 2018. Dad passed very peacefully, at hospital with myself and my aunt Meggie, with him.  

Colin was the beloved son of Beryl Horne, née Cook, and Cecil Horne (and later, stepson to Jack Weitzel), a dedicated husband to soulmate Paula, best Dad in the world to Sarah, and loved brother-in-law to Meggie.  Dearly missed, forever loved, never forgotten. 

Colin studied for 4 years to be a Print Buyer at the London College of Printing (now the London College of Communication), and learned all areas of the print trade, become adept at working the machinery, whilst also being a skilled estimator, stepping in to be sales man too, when needed.  Dad started his career at Wightman and Co. in 1960, straight after leaving school, as he was keen to learn a trade.  

Later, Dad relocated to Exeter as an employee of Welfare Insurance, to start a new Group Printing Department, where he was responsible for everything from installing the machinery to training new recruits.  In 1980, Dad was headhunted to join UK Provident in Salisbury.  Colleagues of Dad's remember him for his zany sense of fun and his ever-present kindness.  Dad could light up any room and won recognition for going above and beyond whenever the situation called for it - whether that was personally delivering a passport across the country because he'd simply stayed late in the office and picked up a phonecall, or to drive regularly to the Dorking branch of Friends Provident, to help them out when they were a man down.  Dad was a great believer in ‘work hard, play hard’, which could also lead to some very funny antics.  From his boss’s alarm at Dad chasing a storekeeper around the stores with a large spider, to a storeworker’s frustration, upon going to leave for the evening, to find his bicycle that he’d ridden in on was mysteriously impaled by shelving poles.  But Dad was great at building a team, and was renowned for the people reporting to him, to rarely if ever, take sick days.  

Colin had been married to Paula for 43 years - he knew the minute he met her that she was the one.  He described his meeting her as a coup de foudre - literally, a thunderbolt - and luckily, Mum also realised he was her soulmate, too! They adored each other until the end and have both given me many years of love and laughter - and for that I am eternally grateful. 

For Dad, there was no such word as ‘can’t’.  Dad was never one to let anything defeat him, and had a huge sense of humour, managing to remain cheerful even in the darkest moments, and make others laugh.  Dad was always there if you needed him.

Dad was my best friend, and my absolute hero.  I remember his horror when a local circus came to Downton, many years ago, when I was a small child of 7 or 8 in the 80s.  They asked for a volunteer for the knife-thrower.  “My Daddy will!”  I’d piped up, blissfully unaware of any potential danger.  Dad, bless, him, went up, despite feeling a bit weak-kneed.  This was way before the days of health and safety!  The next time I volunteered Dad to hold a large python, again, he went up and dutifully had a huge python wind it’s way round Dad’s shoulders.  I should add at this point that I loved my Dad very much!  I just firmly believed my Dad could do anything.  I’m 43 now, and I still do.

God bless you Dad, and thank you so much.  Rest in Peace.