Dedicated to the memory of Valerie Hickman
This site is a tribute to my wonderful wife Val. The picture shows one of her favourite places, the New Forest near Brockenhurst, an area we love and have visited many times over the last 25 years.
Born on the 5th of May 1941, Val was a joy to be with. Family was so important to her, she was a wonderful mother and grandmother and had an almost childlike enthusiasm for Christmas, birthdays, holidays, gardening, country walks, nature. So many things, she never became jaded or cynical. She gave her love completely and unconditionally. She was so open and honest, and loved sharing her joy, her optimism, and her love of nature with her family and friends. And she kept giving right up to the end, bequeathing her body to the Department of Physiology Development and Neuroscience at Cambridge University for research and teaching. As she requested, the University will arrange for Val’s cremation and return her ashes to me, when I will scatter them at a location that is special to both of us.
Val asked for donations in her name to be made via this website to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, to be used for research into helping to develop an understanding of brain tumours, ways to treat them, and to provide long term benefits for patients with brain tumours. She was a truly beautiful human being.
We met and fell in love on Friday the 28th of September 1956 and have been deeply in love ever since. We married on the 2nd of July 1960. Our love has never faded, never diminished, and it never will. It is a complete love, a perfect love, an unquestioning eternal love. I am so blessed to have known her, and so lucky to have shared 66 wonderful years with her, she is my life, my world. I miss her so much and am completely lost without her. She will live in my heart and in my mind forever.
Recent Donations
John
My darling, Today is the 68th anniversary of the day we met and fell so deeply in love. What a wonderful day that was, I remember every detail. You gave me your love completely and unquestioningly, such a perfect love, a love I will cherish forever. There are no words to describe how precious your love is, or how wonderful it is to love you and to be loved by you. I am so blessed to know you, and so lucky to have shared so many wonderful years with you. You are a joy and a delight to be with. I have so many precious memories of our time together, but oh how I miss you, how I long to be with you again. You are the most precious part of me. I wrote this for you: When I awoke in the morning light With you lying next to me We’d kiss and hold each other tight That’s how it’s meant to be Now I awake in the morning light In a cold and lonely bed You’re not here to hold me tight And many a tear I shed Oh how I long to see your face To feel your touch To know your embrace I love you so much I long to share our love again To bask in the glow of the stars, and the moon To live a life devoid of pain And to feel the warmth of the sun at noon We will meet again, just as you said Never again to be parted When my body is still, and I am dead And we will continue what we started Continue to love and to be together And to share the union of our souls To love, and know peace and joy forever Without ever becoming old My heart is full of love for you my darling, as it has been from the day we met, but I am completely lost without you. My world is empty. We will meet again.
£150.00 (+ £37.50 Gift Aid)
John
Thinking of you my darling on your birthday, as I think of you every day, and remembering Friday, the 28th of September 1956, the day we met. I am so blessed to have met you, so lucky. Friday, the 28th of September 1956 is the day our love was born, the day my life began. Despite all life’s challenges our love has never faded, never diminished, and it never will. I am so in love with you, everything good in my life comes from you, all the joy, all the happiness, and most important of all, your love. The love we have for each other is a complete love, a perfect love, an unquestioning, eternal love. There can be no greater love than the love we have for each other. We will be together again soon my darling; I know we will. We were born to be together; we belong together. My love is yours forever - I am yours forever.
£83.00 (+ £20.75 Gift Aid)
John
My darling Val, It’s Christmas Eve, and I know how excited you would be. We opened the door at midnight every Christmas Eve to listen to the church bells. Hearing them was magical, setting the scene for Christmas Day. We had 66 wonderful years together, and apart from Christmas 1958, when I was in Germany, we spent every Christmas together, and you made every one of them so wonderful, so special. Christmases spent with you were always full of anticipation, fun, joy and love. I miss you every day my darling, but Christmas without you is especially difficult. Thank you darling for sharing your life with me, for lighting up my world, and bringing such happiness and contentment. My love for you is strong and deep and will last for eternity. We are as one – each part of the other. I am so blessed to have met you. Until we meet again, all my love, John xxx
£50.00 (+ £12.50 Gift Aid)
Contribute
Help grow Valerie's Tribute by adding messages or memories you'd like to share.
