Children lead tribute to ‘courageous’ dad
Man died two years after brain tumour diagnosis
A MUCH-LOVED Hillingdon father and magistrate died in hospital on Saturday December 31, just four months after he learned his tumour had stopped growing.
Jeremy Lister was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2015 and was expected to live for just weeks, but instead he was alive and active for another two years.
Mr Lister was released from hospital on Christmas Day 2016, just six days before he passed away.
Now Mr Lister’s two grown children have paid touching tributes to the 63-year-old, who passed away at Hillingdon Hospital on New Year’s Eve.
His daughter Caroline Lister, 36, said: “It’s so upsetting for us. He was absolutely the best dad ever.
“He lived for his children. Everything he did was with us in mind. I think that’s why he fought so hard.
“[He was] very sporty and very proud of my brother.”
Mr Lister worked as a volunteer in Ruislip, Uxbridge and Northwood over the last 20 years and also worked as a magistrate at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, where he was chair of the bench.
A keen sports lover, Mr Lister also helped with Northwood Town Cricket Club for more than 30 years and rarely missed a match until his illness.
He was also the chair of governors at Harlyn Primary School, in Pinner, for more than 20 years.
Mr Lister’s son Michael, 35, said: “His sense of humour would need to be mentioned. He was witty, always had a joke for everyone, whether it was the nurses or the guys at the cricket club.
“[As well as] his bravery and his courage – he would always fight.”
When he was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2015, Mr Lister was told it was inoperable and that he could die within weeks, but against the odds, he lived another two years and was able to see his da daughter get married in A August 2016.
Mr Lister was even ab able to stand to give a se seven-and-a-half minute sp speech at the wedding, de despite the family th thinking he would not be w well enough to attend.
His son Michael said: “W “We found out in August [2 [2016] the tumour had st stopped growing. That ga gave us some hope.”
Sadly Mr Lister caught an infection and passed aw away suddenly on New Year’s Eve.
Before he was in hospital, Mr Lister had lived in Thames Drive, in Ruislip.
Ben Rawson-Jones, the chairman of Northwood Town Cricket Club, said: “Jeremy was a beloved supporter of Northwood Town Cricket Club for the past 25 years and will be dearly missed by us all.
“His presence at many matches over the last two years, despite everything he was battling against, was nothing short of inspirational.
“A brave and lovely man.”
Fiona Blackwell, a magistrate who worked with Mr Lister, Fiona Blackwell, said: “He was very wise and always had very wise words with life and on how to conduct yourself as a magistrate.
“He was an inspiration, the way he lived his life for other people and his children, and he was a very kind man.”