Roy Sydney PORTCHMOUTH

PORTCHMOUTH, Roy Sydney PORTCHMOUTH, Roy Sydney - 83, Sunny Brook, passed away Monday, February 18, 2008, at home. Born in Wimbeldon, England, he was a son of the late Sydney Murrell and May Lucia (Gardener) Portchmouth. In 1941, at the age of 17, his naval career started on a Youth Training Scheme. It was as an Ordinary Seaman during the August 1942 raid, that his destroyer, the "Brocklesby" ran temporarily aground on the beach at Dieppe, while taking onboard survivors from a barrage of fire. In 1943 to 1944, he trained for the Fleet Air Arm in Ontario and the United Kingdom, which was followed by operational flying as a pilot in 822 Squadron in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and the East, leaving the Royal Navy in June 1946. In June 1948, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy, serving mostly on H.M.C. ships while based in Halifax, and St. John's as Lt. Commander, retiring in 1966. Moving to England, he joined the Royal National Life Boat Institution in 1970, working as inspector of life boats in southern England, developing trial and training until 1985. Returning to Canada in 1985, he joined the Canadian Coast Guard as inspector of small vessels in Nova Scotia while living in Dartmouth, and then acted as an inspector at the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney while living there, finally retiring in 1991. He relocated to Blue Rocks in 1991 and established himself inextricably in the Lunenburg community, founding the drama group, the South Shore Players, in 1993, directing several of its productions in the first few years. In 2002, they moved to reside in Sunny Brook. He is survived by his long-time companion, Dorothy "Chibby" Drysdale; sons, Keith, London, England; Eric (Deb), Sussex, England; Richard (Helen), London, England; his children's mother, Susan Portchmouth, Cornwall, England; grandchildren, Lena, Amy, and Luke. He was predeceased by sister, Iris May. Friends are invited to share their memories of Roy with his family during visitation in Dana L. Sweeny Funeral Home, Lunenburg, on Friday from 2-4 p.m. Funeral service to celebrate Roy's life will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in St. John's Anglican Church, Lunenburg, Rev. Michael Mitchell officiating. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Lunenburg. Flowers from the immediate family only. Memorial donations may be made to the South Shore Players, Lung Association of Nova Scotia or a charity of your choice. www.sweenyfuneralhome.ca