Friends devastated after death of man whose smile ‘lit up the room’
A BELFAST man who died suddenly always had a smile on his face, a friend has said.
Robert James Walkingshaw was described as having a smile that would light up the room, a warm personality and was “such a beautiful person inside and out”.
Mr Walkingshaw’s body was found at a house in the Grand Parade area of east Belfast on Saturday morning sparking a major police operation leading to one arrest.
The 37-year-old was a former pupil of Dundonald High School and had worked at Dundonald International Ice Bowl and
Nicholl Fuel Oils. He was known to friends as Rab. Mr Walkingshaw was also a member of the Northern Ireland Tenpin Bowling Federation.
The group paid tribute to him on Facebook. “It is with the greatest sadness that we learn of the passing of our much loved Robert Walkingshaw who passed away,” the tribute read.
“Robert had such a natural talent on the lanes and his love for life was infectious to all who met him.
“Our thoughts are with Robert’s family at this sad time.”
Friend Karen Neely said that Mr Walkingshaw was “such a fun-loving guy” who “always had a smile on his face”. Stacy Moore said that she couldn’t believe the “awful news” of Mr Walkingshaw’s death and that he was “such a beautiful person inside and out”. Former work colleague Amy Gray said that she had been “absolutely devastated” by the news. “I just can’t get my head around it, my heart is broken. You are the most funniest, craziest, most amazing guy who always lived life to the fullest, always laughing and smiling,” she wrote.
“I am going to miss seeing your wee face, I’m truly heartbroken, you were one in a million.”
Fiona McKitterick said that Mr Walkingshaw had a “smile that lit up the room”, while Ian Reid said “he was genuinely one of the nicest and funniest people I have ever met”.
“Never a dull moment with him and always having a laugh,” he said. “Heaven has gained an angel,” Maxine O’Neill wrote. DUP councillor David Brooks offered his condolences to Mr Walkingshaw’s family.
A section of Grand Parade between Dunraven Park and Orangefield Lane was closed for several hours on Saturday while police investigated Mr Walkingshaw’s death. Police conducted house-to-house inquiries and forensic teams examined the scene. Grand Parade was reopened at around 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon.
A 35-year-old man arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug was released on bail pending further inquiries on Sunday.
A post-mortem examination is due to take place to determine the cause of Mr Walkingshaw’s death.