Obituary of Randolph John

Randolph Glenford John (Randy)

Known to his Vincy family as Lenford.

11th February 1955 - 17th April 2023 

Passed of heart and Kidney failure on Monday 17th April 2023 at the age of 68.

Loving husband of Hyacinth (Hice), father of Cherie, Charlene, and Mike. Grandfather of nine, and brother of 11 siblings.

Born in St. Vincent, emigrated to England in 1968. He achieved his license as an electrician and auto technician and for 38 years this was his practice. 

Randy had a great passion for the game of cricket, dominoes, and cars.

In 2006 he emigrated to Canada, while working as an auto technician he created and maintained a great working and friendly relationship with his customers until his retirement. 

I am sure Randy will be remembered for all of his many stories and his use of the word "TING". 

Visitation will be held at the De Stefano Funeral Home 1289 Keith Ross Drive in Oshawa on Monday, May 1, 2023 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. A Funeral Service will be held in the De Stefano Chapel at 1:00 pm. 

Randolph John 11th of February 1955 - 17th of April 2023

From a young boy Randy, Lenford, had to learn to be strong and tough, especially after his uncles left St Vincent and went to Aruba. He was the only boy living with his Grandad, carrying out many chores before going to school, moving and milking the sheep, making sure to save some for his Aunty May resulting in him being late for school many times, which his Cousin Alf the school teacher would tell him off for. 

Whilst living with his Grandad he was taught many life lessons, how to behave and be responsible and wise old people quotes. When his Grandad asked “get me a shot”, he thought he meant the shotgun but it was actually a shot of rum. 

When he arrived in England in 1968 he had to straightaway look after his sister Joan’s brothers, Cliff & Micheal, find his way to school, visit his mum who was hospitalised making sure she had clean nightwear.

From the day he was able to work he never stopped, he had so many jobs just to help his mum and to make sure his brother Phillip could join him in England. 

He was so forward thinking and grown up, convincing his mum to mortgage a property, instead of renting. He worked as a mobile phone technician for a while and took his youngest brother Mike with his several times, later cliff followed working for the same company. 

Eventually he became self-employed opening a garage/car shop in Crystal Palace, with his best friend Harry, selling and installing tyres, rims, car alarms and audio equipment and doing auto mechanic work, eventually they moved their premises to East London. In this time Randolph was was also caring for his uncle, who dies in 2005. Randy got despondent after several break ins at his shop and he decided to go to St Vincent and build a bungalow, after a few month his son Micheal went over to help him. 

In 2006, he emigrated to Canada, boy it was cold, working as a mechanic, then opening a garage again in 2010 in Ajax. 

Randy was always willing to listen and go the extra mile for family, friends and customers often losing out, helping family to emigrate or help them to improve their life. He treated everyone with respect, was kind hearted and strong, but would not stand for disrespectful behaviour, without letting them know especially if you call to him by saying “oi”. 

Upon retirement his health got worse and it was sad especially when the stroke took his speech knowing how he had the art of holding many conversations on many different subjects and the many stories he told, often refer to him as the professor but at the time he was very happy to see the daughters and grandkids in St Vincent it was like a tonic. He was truly a generous, polite, friendly man who will be missed by family, friends and customers. 
 

Hyacinth speech

I first met Randy in 1982, we went on a boat disco with my school friend Sonia, I had really intended on enjoying myself. When Randy asked one of the girls on my table for a dance ,she turned him down, I said “Come on I’ll dance with you”. Several guys and him had asked for my phone number, I took the easy option and gave him a wrong number as I wasn’t ready for a relationship. 

Randy found me though, because I had mentioned the name of the bank I worked for, he phoned a human resource department left his name and telephone, telling the department my name and how he met me begging the man to find me and ask for me to phone him. Curiosity got the better of me so I phoned, I still tried to put him off saying I lived far but he insisted he knew the area so we met up, that’s the type of persistent person he was. 

He got his friend Harry to knock on the door on the pretence that there was something he had to check on the car. I gave him a 2nd test to fix my spin dryer and I would consider a 2nd date, he tried but no good, so he went and brought a new dryer, to date I still have this dryer in St Vincent. 

Each morning as we got ready to go to the garage he would say “right Hice lets go to Mexico” (we’d never been) and he would sing the words ‘I am a man of good ambition’ these were only words he would sing, on the Saturday that just passed we finally found the song. 

He refer to me as weak and feeble because of the strong man he was, he would pass some of his strength onto me.

Rest in peace my Randy maybe we will still go to Mexico together.