Terry Tuckwood

Terry was born on a snowy day in Folkingham near Grantham on 13^th November 1946 to Groves and Evelyn Tuckwood, who married at the end of World War 2. They moved to North Lincolnshire where Terry’s sister Sandra was born in 1948. The family moved to live above the family bakery and Terry attended Crosby Infant and Junior school.Terry then went to Foxhills Secondary school and further developed his love of gardening and the outdoors. His youngest sister, Davina arrived in 1960, who was only two when Terry moved to attend and complete his diploma in landscape gardening and design at Askham Bryan near York. He returned to Scunthorpe successfully getting a position within the Parks Department with the council, where he designed many beautiful bedding displays and planted many trees across Scunthorpe that still stand today!

Terry met Ann through delivering bread with his Dad, to Ann’s Mum and Dad’s shop in Scunthorpe, where he wooed her with his charm, Beatles style haircut and his brown Mini Cooper with the loud exhaust! During their period of courting, they used to walk for miles around the area that they lived, mapping out their life together and Ann soon became the love of his life. They decided to get married and buy a house in the area. During this time, his Mum, Dad, Sandra and Davina moved over to the other side of the Pennines to Cheshire, so Terry moved into the newly bought house he had to renovate, ready for married life.

On a foggy day in February 1968, Terry and Ann were married, with Sandra, Davina and Ann’s cousin being bridesmaids and Terry’s friend, Derek from College, being best man. Celebrating the beginning of their life together.

Their first child, John arrived in the summer of 1969, a happy and content baby. Terry continued to work with the Parks department for the Council and was successful in being promoted to become Head Gardener at Normanby Park. This meant moving the family to live on the estate in the Gardener’s cottage and selling their family home in Scunthorpe. During this time, he developed the deer herd, including raising the infamous “Joey” the stag and being part of the design and build team of the Normanby Golf Course. Nicola arrived in April of 1975, completing the family. Terry’s love of gardening, led him to have higher aspirations and he was given the opportunity to set up Lansdown Garden Centre, now known as Holmes and Gardens in Epworth, this again meant moving the family to a new home. Alongside Ann, they built the Garden Centre and created the Tea Room, allowing Terry to work in his favourite area of growing and nurturing plants, including developing the strawberry fields alongside the garden centre, which is where John and Nicola would regularly disappear to during the summer months! He spent a few years at the garden centre before moving as Manager to Fairview Plant Centre at Kirton Lindsey. During this time, Terry and Ann purchased a piece of land and built their dream home and Epworth became Terry’s forever home. He made some meaningful and lasting friendships within the community, through his love of the outdoors, and the local area.

Terry joined the local squash club and competed in the Lincolnshire league, managing to get a first ranking and winning a few trophies. He continued to play for pleasure although keeping his competitive streak for many years after, even introducing Nicola to the sport.

After a good few years at the Garden Centre in Kirton Lindsey, and having John join him there when he left school, Terry decided to set up his own business in landscaping and garden design.  With the land that he had at his home in Epworth, he was also able to continue to grow the plants and flowers that he loved, which he tended to daily. He made a success of own business, working for many supportive customers who became part of his friendship group. Terry kept working for many years with John alongside him.

Ann was by Terry’s side every day for almost 56 years of marriage, being supportive and loving and making sure he had a cooked breakfast every morning before he went off to work! Their love for each other was very special, rarely seen and lasted forever. Together they loved spending time with their family, entertaining friends at their home, going out to eat, but also having the opportunity to go on many memorable holidays, both in the UK and through Europe with family and very special friends. Although Terry disliked flying (which was an understatement!) he still ventured on holidays with the children to the Balearics, Portugal and Canary Islands, teaching them both to swim and play pool. He faced his fear of flying and flew across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, not once, but twice! Going to Barbados with Ann, Davina and Nick, he even went under water in a submarine. And a few years later he went to Jamaica with Ann, where they experienced their first ever Burger King! He most enjoyed holidaying in the UK, Belgium, Germany and Italy in his later years, going to places that he loved to return to, the Lake District, Scotland, Cornwall, Lake Garda, Verona, and Assisi with family and close friends.

Terry had a strong group of friends and enjoyed many evenings spending time with them, enjoying a regular Friday night in Epworth, meals out, weekends away and also hosting meals and parties at home. Terry was John’s boss, teacher, friend, but most importantly his Dad. They worked together, day in and day out, through the best and the worst of our UK weather. Terry was always there to guide and support John. However, over the past four years, John became Terry’s full-time carer, being there for him at all times, day and night, which John never shied away from and Terry was always grateful for. He hated a fuss and showed true grit as he bravely bore his illness these past few years- if asked how he was, he’d reply; “I’m not s’bad.” With his great sense of fun and humour, he guided us all, taught us all skills, tips and tricks and lessons in life and living.  He will be so sorely missed, but would want us all to remember him with an enormous smile on our faces.

An excerpt from the poem on loss by David Harkins

You can shed tears that he is gone

Or you can smile because he has lived….

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what he would want:

Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.