Trucker Ronald hits the road for his last journey
A retired lorry driver arrived at his funeral the way he travelled most of his life – in an HGV.
Ronald Acott, 74, drove all over Europe throughout his 50-year career, often carrying important loads, including tanks, part of an aeroplane, an entire building and the Lord Mayor’s coach.
He spent most of his career as a heavy haulage truck driver for David Lumsden at D and B Lumsden Ltd.
Daughter Nicola Davis said: “It was one of his proudest moments when he was asked to transport the coach. He loved driving lorries, so we wanted his last journey to be on the back of one.”
Daughter Alison Cooper remembers her dad bringing back gifts from his trips.
She said: “He brought my sister a cat, which she called Moggy. Another time he brought me a teddy, my sister a doll’s house and my brother some Manchester United football socks. When Mum asked where he’d got them from, he said ‘Let’s just say they fell off the back of a lorry’. “We’ll all miss him.” Mr Lumsden’s son Colin, owner of CPL Transport Services (UK) Ltd, provided the lorry that brought Mr Acott’s coffin to Vinters Park Crematorium on Friday for the funeral, which was organised by Angels Independent Family Funerals in Coxheath.
Mr Lumsden, who travelled to Europe with Mr Acott as a child during school holidays, said: “I was honoured to be asked to take Ron on the back of one of our vehicles for his final journey. In winter, Ron would often be stuck for a week or two at the Mont Blanc Tunnel between France and Italy, waiting for the snow to clear so the police could escort him through. That was just one of the challenges he faced.”
Mr Acott grew up in Yalding, moving to Coxheath and then Tovil.
He died at Maidstone Hospital and had Alzheimer’s.
He had three children from his first marriage to Patricia – Diane, 52, Ron, 51, and Alison, 47, who gave him seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
With his second wife, Sheila, who died in 2013, he had Nicola and Darren. He also leaves sonin-law Laurence and three more grandchildren.
Donations can be made to Dementia UK or Alzheimer’s Society via Angels on 01622 741777.