Family’s tribute to well-known window cleaner
The daughter of a well known Sunderland window cleaner has paid tribute to a ‘hard working and caring’ father and grandfather.
Robert Lane, known to locals as Bobby, sadly died on Friday, May 28, aged 66 after working for 30 years as a window cleaner across Sunderland and Peterlee.
His daughter Jody Graham, 42, has paid tribute to her ‘chatty’ and ‘loving’ father who she says will be ‘greatly missed by so many’.
Bobby, who lived in Roker worked in the shipyards and as a plumber before he started working as a window cleaner in and around Peterlee which he did for 30 years.
The devoted dad met his wife Lynne when they were 14-years-old and have been happily married for almost 50 years.
The 66-year-old who has two grandchildren Alexa, eight, and Zac, four, spent his spare time at an allotment in Seaburn.
Jody said: “He would spend time at his allotment where he would grow leeks, cabbage and beetroot as well as tomatoes which he doesn’t even like but he would give them to other people and that just summed up the type of person he was.
"He really was a character, he was just larger than life who was always having a joke and had time for everyone – he will be missed by so many.”
The popular window cleaner, who went to Castle View Secondary School ‘really enjoyed’ his job in between trying to see his grandchildren when he could throughout the pandemic.
Jody added: “We would go on holiday to Greece and people would recognise him from years ago, everybody seemed to know him.
"He was always up for a laugh and would have a few glasses of wine before dancing at the parties when he would take his shirt off and make everyone laugh.”
Sadly, the 66-year-old passed away in Sunderland Royal Hospital after suffering from small cell lung cancer which spread to his liver.
Jody has now set up a fundraiser page in aid of Cancer Research in memory of her father.
She said: “The hospital was amazing and I wanted to honour my incredible dad by raising money for a great cause.”
Bobby’s funeral is due to take place on Friday, June 11. Donate to Jody’s fundraiser at fund raise. cancer r es earchuk.org/page/robert-lane-memorial-fund.