Geoff Parry deliverer of over 400 talks for Whitstable RNLI passes away
The crew and volunteers at Whitstable Lifeboat Station have been further saddened to hear of the passing of Geoffrey Parry a former station visits officer on 14th November a few days short of his 92nd birthday.
On his retirement, he moved to Whitstable with his second wife Mary. He had always been a keen supporter of the RNLI, and as his son Dave was a member of the lifeboat crew, Geoff took the opportunity to volunteer for the fundraising branch, initially helping in the souvenir shop, then as a speaker.
Over his years of volunteering, he gave over 400 talks, both to adult groups, and to school and youth groups. For many years he was the station's Visits Officer a role to which he was appointed by Larry Lamberton who himself passed away two days later.
He was awarded the RNLI Silver Badge in 2011 in recognition of his service.
Outside the RNLI, he was a regular worshipper at All Saints’ Church, and a past president of Whitstable Rotary and Probus Clubs.
Mary died in 2016, and Geoff is survived by his two sons, five grandaughters and two great-grandsons.
Whitstable Lifeboat Education and Visits Officer David Hayward said "Whitstable was already well established as a good and busy school and group visits Lifeboat Station in 1995 under Geoff's reign as the Lifeboat Visits Officer - a period which lasted until 2009, when the 'baton' was passed on to me. As his successor in that role he ensured that I was well briefed by observing some of his last visits and, since then, the Visits Team and I have just tried to build even further on the great work he'd previously been carrying out."
His Funeral will be held on Monday 6th December at 12 noon at All Saints'Church, Whitstable.
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