We received a sad message from Keith Lloyd regarding the death of David Bate and this is shown below, together with the eulogy given by Keith at the funeral.
By Keith Lloyd ….
We buried Dave last Wednesday 25th July at 10.30am at Greenhill Cemetery; about sixty were present. Afterwards we all met, at the invitation of his widow, Yvonne, at the Tropicana in Ozanköy to see him off.
The Funeral Service was a mix of tears and laughter; moving but a celebration of his life and thanksgiving for knowing Dave and sharing life with him. A generous man who touched many hearts; he often gave his services for free – below is an image of him performing a free gig for the RBL Armed Forces Day at the Courtyard, as is his brief eulogy given at his funeral.
David Norman Bate (Known in North Cyprus as entertainer Dave Monro)
David was born in Pemberton Lancashire on 5th December 1946; he was 72 years old when he left us last week. Educated locally, he went on to join Plessey where he worked in telecoms for many years. Later he moved to Bristol to be near Yvonne; they were to be married in 1972, later running the family Public House, The Lamb Inn at Iron Acton. Having had their family, Sam and Felicity (later four adored grandchildren) the couple moved to North Cyprus, where they enjoyed the sunshine and social life in and around the Ozanköy area; and where Dave ‘Monro’ became well known as an after dinner entertainer in the local bars and restaurants. He specialised in performing what we know as the great American Song Book, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jnr, etc. Not forgetting former London bus driver, Matt Monro, whose name he adopted for stage purposes.
It is said that Dave was always singing – even as a lad you knew when Dave was around when his singing was heard in the neighbourhood.
Off stage he was also an entertainer, expounding on his theory about the shape of planet earth; he was known at his Curry Club and elsewhere as ‘Flat Earth Dave’.
He also enjoyed a good natter with pals in the pub – any pub. Many will remember him once talking of one of his heroes Winston Churchill (he even called his Labrador dog Winnie). One of his favourite Churchill quotations – Dave knew them all – was addressed to a rather large labour MP in the House of Commons. When addressing the House, Bessie Braddock interrupted with ‘Winston, you are drunk, very,very drunk!’
Churchill replied ‘The Honourable lady, the member for Liverpool Exchange is right to suppose that the Member’s Bar has enjoyed my patronage this evening; however I surmise Madam that you are ugly, very, very ugly; and I shall be sober in the morning!’
Great hilarity, thanks Dave.
