Richard Vane-Tempest

Thanks again Deirdre - we are all still getting there year by year but always remembering him. Every time I say hello to my dogs I remember him!! Thanks so much for thinking of him. We miss him still!! All the best to you for the new year and to everyone in Bicheno from Richards girls Jane. Clare, Kate and Elspeth xxxx

Hello to Deirdre, Jane, Clare, Kate & Elspeth: Well yes the Third 24th of December has come around again since Your dear Richard left you All & Bicheno so unexpectadly!
It is not the Days in your life that matter, but the Life in your days. Richard loved the life that he had.
Thinking of you all. Wishing you all a Peaceful and Safe Christmas -
Regards from Deirdre Smith (Bicheno).

Thank you Deidre from Richard's girls; Jane, Clare, Kate and Elspeth, we never stop missing our beautiful Dad, especially at this time of year. It is great to hear from you and to know that others are thinking of him too. I know my sisters would join me in wishing you and all members of the Bicheno community a safe and peaceful 2015, thanks so much for your thoughts and words.

To Deirdre, Richard's Daughters & Family;

Richard you sailed off on the morning tide two years ago, gone far too soon; Our dear Doctor now resting in eternal peace on a Calm Sea.
Thank you Jane for extending this condolence book, it has been nice to read the tributes to your dear Dad.
May you all have a peaceful, safe Christmas and 2015.
From Deirdre Smith, (Bicheno)
24 Dec. 2014

To Richard's Girls, Deirdre & Families,
Thinking of You All as another Christmas Eve comes by. Missing Richard's Doctor expertise & Richard !
Happy & Peaceful 2015 to You All.

Deirdre Smith (Bicheno) Sat. 20 Dec. 2014

Dearest Dee, Jill and I are desperate to hear from you. We have written to you in Tasmania and left our condolences in this guest book. Please contact us. We continue to remember Richard and you in our prayers. Tom

A Light Shines in the Darkness

For 30 years I've had the honour of both knowing and being known by Jane, Clare and Sue. You must have been a man of great depth Richard. Jane and Clare are testament to both who and what you were; I am very proud to consider them and Sue as 'family'.

Rest in Eternal Peace

To Deirdre, Jane, Kate, Claire & Elspeth; Although I had only lived in Bicheno for five years, in that time I found Richard to be a very caring Doctor and Person. He is truly missed, I think of Him often. Regards from Deirdre Smith (Bicheno).

Dear Dee, I have only just discovered that Richard died last year, I am so sorry that I havnt kept in touch better.Richard was like an older brother to me when he came and stayed with us from school and my parents loved him dearly. Sending you and the family our best wishes Andrew and Alison Chipperfield.

I remember Richard as a teenager in Henley on Thames, England. We were close neighbours, living in a row of Tudor cottages - Richard and his father at one end and me and my parents at the other. During his father's periods of ill health Richard would stay with us and we spent a fair amount of time together. I now live in Suffolk, quite close to the little town of Beccles and driving through it yesterday with a friend I remembered Richard spending summer holidays there with a teacher and his family. The name Beccles seemed so strange then and it always stuck in my mind. I was recalled those long ago days to my friend, mentioning Richard and our teenage years and - on a whim - googled his name. I am so sorry for your loss. He sounds a lovely man and I wish I had kept in touch and known him as an adult. The picture in the photo is just as I remember him. My thoughts are with you all and I will remember him in my prayers. Cyrilla Havard (nee Prescott)

You didn't get to sit on the veranda and discuss Knitting patterns with your friend. Sadly missed and much loved.

We have only just heard the sad news of Richard's death through the EMA, and wish to send our deepest condolences to his family. We met Richard in 1999 when we both worked under him in Newcastle, and we both admired him personally and professionally. He was a gentleman with great integrity and a steady nature. Under Richard's leadership and guidance, Neil had travelled from the UK and Nicola had returned from Hong Kong to embark on a career in emergency medicine at the John Hunter Hospital. He once counselled us that to be an emergency physician was to be a “jack of all trades and master of none”. He viewed this as a privilege but wanted us to make our decisions wisely. We will be eternally grateful to Richard for setting us on a course in life that brought us together and led us both down the paths of happy careers and family life. To us, Richard was a master in every sense.

Dear Mrs Vane-Tempest:
Dr Vane-Tempest was a humble, compassionate, helpful pleasant Gentleman Doctor. I am sad at the loss of this gem of a person. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.

David and Morna Irwin have fond memories of Dick and are still grateful for his hospitality at Avalon in 1981.

Dearest Deirdre

Just found this sad news when we were searching for your phone number. We feel so very far away. You are in our prayers and hope we can talk soon. Our sympathies to the entire family.

Dear Deirdre, you have our deepest sympathies. Richard was the heart and soul of John Hunter Emergency and he had a way of making all the staff feel important. I am so sorry for your loss.
Maura McCambridge, Newcastle

My words at my father's funeral. Clare Vane-Tempest.

It is very hard today to talk about my father, whereas I have never had trouble talking about him before. I am and always will be proud to be his daughter.

I am having trouble coming to terms with the fact that I will never have another conversation with him, something I am sure all of you also feel. Conversations with my father were always memorable, often enlightening and usually very funny. That he was witty, intelligent and warm is a massive understatement. If you were ever to discuss politics or current affairs with him and thought to disagree, then you had better know your facts because he certainly did. He was one of the most knowledgeable, well read men I have ever met.

We are all richer for knowing him and as his daughter I feel so lucky that he was my father. I look at my sisters and his grandchildren and I can see shades of my father there, it may be the blue of my daughter's eyes, a look on my nephew's face, the way my niece can argue a point and win, or the gentleness and sense of mischief that is there in all his younger grandsons. And I then know part of him will always live on.

I could tell you some funny one-liners that he has said and make you laugh, but I don't feel like laughing today, instead I am missing him so much. For us his family it is a time of loss and mourning and knowing he is gone too soon…. If a mark of a man is simply how much he is loved then my father more than made his mark.

As William Wordsworth wrote Q “ That best portion of a good man's life, his little unremembered acts of kindness and love”.

Missing you more each day dad. cxx

Words spoken at my fathers funeral 3 January 2013:

I am Richard's eldest daughter - like my father I work in public health and have chosen to say something about the conversations we often had about healthcare.

My father was a man who had faith in humanity, he believed in dignity and access to high quality healthcare. He diagnosed at work and at home - if it sounded funny or wasn't working, he would find out why; cars, clock radios, washing machines and as you know, people, all lived another day thanks to him.

It worried him to see cost cutting in health services, he saw this as a danger for future generations. He wondered whether politicians can ever understand the longer term complexities of providing publicly funded healthcare. He believed people and recovery are complicated and that solutions for sick people cannot be quick and cheap every time. He really believed in a sustainable public healthcare system that would continue to offer complex and expensive solutions regardless of ability to pay. He wanted politicians to think about long term strategies in health.

He believed in people, he took time to puzzle them out, he double checked his assumptions and worked hard on solutions that were so often perfect. He followed up, he checked in, he called back, he made sure you were OK, often double sure.

For us as a family, he brought his love and high standards to choosing a restaurant or planning a family outing. He would work out where and how we could spend time together making sure there was something in the plan for everyone. He took his time making decisions and he made really good ones.

He was always mindful and connected to what really mattered - he took the time to say hello to dogs and to children - they were important- he earned the loyalty and unconditional love of people and dogs wherever he went. He believed in having fun and he loved practical jokes.

He loved the sea, his dogs, Shrek and Tassie, He also loved bargains, good whisky and chocolate. He was a constant believer in luck and love.

He had faith in resilience and recovery, we will recover from this, he taught us how to recover and then he showed us how to keep going every single day of his life.

Like a ship on the horizon you are beautiful and moving out of sight, but never out of mind and forever in our hearts.

Jane

The magic of you will always be in our hearts ... missing you so dearly dad.

It was with great sadness, but with honour and privelege, to have read the eulogy at my father's funeral in early January.

I have had numerous requests from people to receive a copy of the eulogy - if you woud like one, please contact me at [email protected].

Katie Dean (nee Vane-Tempest)

Dear Dick,
We know in later years you became Richard but to your friends at the London Hospital, the graduating class of 1965 you were and still are Dick.
What an amazing wonderful and contributing life you led. I know what you were to Bicheno because Gay and I visited you and Deirdre there in 2006. She and the dogs will miss you.
From all your London friends, goodbye and thank you for being you. Simon, Pete, Eiddon, Charles, Roger and many more.

Dear Richard,

Thank you for being a valuable partner in the East Coast Community's health and wellbeing.

Deepest sympathy to Deirdre and family

Mayshaw Health Service
Swansea

Respect and Gratitude, words seldom said but felt often.
Richard a true humanitarian in rural practice.
Condolences to Deirdre, family and the East Coast community

Deirdre Dear. As Ron said during the service this morning, who ever will replace Richard will need large feet to fit the shoes. However it is not just for the medical practice but also to fit the gap left in our heart the lot of us, who learnt to appreciate it as a man and a friend.
My sincere condolences to you Deirdre and the family at large.
Catherine has ask me to convey her condolences as well.
Bertrand (The Friend) and
Mayor Cadart. "Passion 2 lead the Region."

Dear Dad,

It's the first day of the New Year and we are wondering what the future will be without your smile We can't believe you left us so soon, leaving early was never your style! Late nights and staying to the end of a meal or a celebration was always your way.

I will always remember the way you would place your hand on a dogs head or on a sore knee - you had a way of connecting physically with dogs, children and us that was second to none and irreplaceably you. Your hugs good bye were so steady and strong you always sent us off feeling safe and calm no matter what the circumstances. Now we hug each other in your absence, you taught us how to do this well and we are so much the better for it.

We are reminded every day of the wonderful person you are. Constant memories of your laughter and your smile surround us as we look for photos to remember you. Like everything you did, even your passing has brought us closer together as four sisters and our families to celebrate your life.

You meant so much to so many - you gave so much every day of your life - now you can rest easy and enjoy the amazing family you lovingly crafted over so many years. Now you can watch us grow and live a better life for having had you as our amazing Dad.

Love you Dad, take care, Jane xxxx

RIP DEAR RICHARD. Deepest sympathy Deirdre & Family. Regards, Natalie Vandeldt. John Hunter Emergency. X

I cannot speak for others but will always remember Richard as an amazing and inspirational Grandpa to Grace and Ethan. With the most tender and caring hands to check for fever or to put a band aid on a knee - his eldest grandchildren had ultimate faith in his ability to make them better. On Christmas Day 2007 we emigrated from the UK - and have been able to visit and celebrate each of Richards subsequent birthdays with him - a gift worth treasuring. We are bereft at his sudden death - the world is a sadder place without him but the night sky has a bright new star.

Richard was the most amazing person and will be sadly missed ,I am so sorry this has happened, his friends and family will miss him dreadfully ,I cannot believe he has gone