• welcome
• add a person
• find a person
• about us
• online memorial books
• charities

Anthony Hadfield, also known as: Tony

This page is set up in memory of my wonderful and loving husband, Tony, who died on 20 August 2010. He enjoyed a life full of fun and adventure as I’m sure some of the anticipated tributes will illustrate.

Tony died in hospital after a four-year battle with scleroderma which is an auto-immune connective-tissue disease affecting blood vessels and collagen production. Over the last 12–18 months as Tony became more affected by the disease and developed its serious form – diffuse systemic sclerosis – he bore his suffering with dignity, grace and courage.

Scleroderma is not a well-known disease and the charity “The Scleroderma Society” is, therefore, deserving of donations as generous as you can manage. So please, please dig deep to help fund research into this disease and ultimately its cure.

Ruth Hadfield

 

Added by: Ruth Hadfield on 2nd September 2010.

 

Share this with a Friend

 

Comments

---

 

Nick Allan writes [21st December 2010]:

I met Tony in the 70's through the " Laws/Connor" connection, a group of evil, dope smoking fiends that plagued mothers and daughters alike in Henley! We laughed,drank, lied and sometimes fell down. I cried when I heard.

 

---

 

Paul Harvey writes [16th October 2010]:

I first met Tony in the mid 1980's. First as a Mortgage Advisor, then as my boss and soon after one of my closest friends, which he remained ever since.

I was 21, and Tony older by some years soh e soon became a mentor.

As a boss was at least a little unconventional, as he was in most things. His character shone through any formal title or role and soon we became close friends who shared an occupation.

Quite early on I discovered that Tony had been in a band (Sunfly), and as reward for ... [read more from Paul Harvey]

 

---

 

Rhys James writes [8th October 2010]:

I first met Tony during my first week at Oxford Poly.
Typically, Tony wasn’t supposed to be there. He was training to be a Quantity Surveyor and was supposed to attend college for one day per week and go to work for the other four. Tony had the ratio reversed.

Tony and I spent a lot of time together; we worked together at the cement factory and at Pressed Steel and at a great many short-lived jobs. Sometimes we were sacked and sometimes we just walked out in disgust. We even had a business ... [read more from Rhys James]

 

---

 

Sara Lock writes [29th September 2010]:

Dear Tony - a great advisoer who became a good friend. Sadly missed my love and thoughts to you Ruth. Sara

 

---

 

Edmund Weiner writes [22nd September 2010]:

I was utterly shocked to hear the news. Tony was our financial adviser for many years. His advice was calm, reliable, and invaluable. He was never impatient with our financial ineptitude. When you scheduled for him to visit, you knew it would not be over quickly, and there would be several cups of tea, but it was always pleasant and even fun. He felt much more like a family friend than a professional adviser even though he was deeply professional. Somehow he always kept it light-hearted. He must ... [read more from Edmund Weiner]

 

---

 

Keith(shaker) Breakspear writes [21st September 2010]:

Dear Tony
I can hardly beleive it even now. I first met Tony in his Sun Life office in Summertown and my early memories were of long nights in the Dewdrop listening to music and downing pints, and then driving home!My girlfriend at the time told me it was time to plan for the future and she knew just the fellow to advise me. It was probably the best introduction to someone I have ever received as Tony guided me for over thirty years through the financial minefield of Isas, pensions, mortgages and ... [read more from Keith(shaker) Breakspear]

 

---

 

Sharon Chorlton writes [21st September 2010]:

I met Tony and Ruth through their visits to their home in Cyprus. I could not tell you how they came to rent a car from us but they did and became regular customers. Their visits into the office for a chat always lead to a story all be it about strange neighbours or asking advice as to which type of vine would be best to buy for their garden. The visit always lasted for much longer than the five minutes they planned to stay and always contained lots of laughter. To me they are Tony and Ruth and ... [read more from Sharon Chorlton]

 

---

 

Melissa Kreitzer writes [18th September 2010]:

I met Tony on only 2 occasions; once when I was fortunate to go to Oxford for work, and once when I tagged along with my husband, Dave, when his work took him there. Ruth and I have been colleagues and friends for a long time.

Tony and Ruth treated us to dinner while we were there and we had a very fun, memorable evening. We had great conversation and lots and lots of laughs.

There are some folks that when you meet them, you feel like you’ve known them forever. Tony was one of those ... [read more from Melissa Kreitzer]

 

---

 

Darrell Paddick writes [10th September 2010]:

I met Tony one weekend towards the end of November 1966. When he discovered that I was also training to be a quantity surveyor, he quickly hatched a plan for a better use of Monday morning. Help was needed to push his stranded red MG from Oxford to Woodstock - I could not resist his invitation to join the party! I still do not know how stranded his car really was. I suspect it may have been my first encounter with Tony's sense of fun. Perhaps he is still re-arranging Monday mornings..... ... [read more from Darrell Paddick]

 

---

 

Judy Massey writes [10th September 2010]:

Tony was a wonderful, kind and funny man who brought deep happiness to my dearest friend Ruth. It is desperately unfair that he was taken and that he and Ruth were robbed of the many happy years they should have enjoyed. But his memory and the endless supply of stories about him will always live on. May he rest in peace and joy.

 

---

 

John Burnip writes [10th September 2010]:

What could I possibly contribute after reading Johnny’s wonderful tribute I thought to myself?
I really only got to know Tony after being asked by Eddie to fill in on drums with Sunfly sometime in the mid 90’s. It was never planned but I ended up staying with the band until I moved to Australia in 2006. We had some fun over those years and I was constantly surprised and often amused by some of Tony’s rebel' ish ways, none of which ever had any lasting consequences fortunately.
Since moving ... [read more from John Burnip]

 

---

 

Ruth Hadfield writes [9th September 2010]:

My darling husband, my joy, my life, my star. Until we meet again ...

May the blessing of the rain be on you —
the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit
so that all the little flowers may spring up,
and shed their sweetness on the air.

May the blessing of the great rains be on you,
may they beat upon your spirit
and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool
where the blue of heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.

 

---

 

Peter Laurie writes [9th September 2010]:

It was a pleasure knowing Tony both professionally and on a personal level.

Professionally he was always there to successfully manage all my funding requirements over the many years, he always worked hard at coming up with the best source of funds available on the market at the time. He impressed me with his up-to-date knowledge of the market, he had to go on numerous courses to maintain his industry standard qualification, which he always found amusing, “the market has become so full of red ... [read more from Peter Laurie]

 

---

 

Johnny Hadfield writes [5th September 2010]:

Tribute to Tony – 3rd Sept 2010 Part2

Please read Part 1 of the tribute first on my previous comment. Unfortunately tributes are limited to 1500 words each so I have had to split it into two parts.

(Continued from Part 1)
Yes there were many funny stories, but Tony also had a huge natural creative and imaginative talent and could apply a magical touch to all things he did. He could transform a house or garden into something beautiful and original which reflected his own unique artistry ... [read more from Johnny Hadfield]

 

---

 

Johnny Hadfield writes [5th September 2010]:

Tribute to Tony – 3rd Sept 2010 Part 1

Tony was my loyal big brother, lifetime friend, guide, advisor and inspiration. A larger than life personality and man of action, he was a hugely creative, charming, imaginative, reassuring and naturally funny person and great story teller, who, loving the company of friends and acquaintances, was a wonderful and amusing host and essential and endlessly rewarding guest.
As we all know, Tony was also one of life’s great non-conformists – a gentleman ... [read more from Johnny Hadfield]

 

---

 

---

Return to the top of the page...