A true gentleman and wise owl. Roger will be sadly missed and fondly remembered. Image from his Facebook page.
It is with great sadness that I share with readers the passing of a true friend, not just of the blog, but of our borough – that of Roger ‘Ziksby’ Jones, who passed away as Aldridge Court Nursing Home on Friday 25th September 2015, after suffering Motor Neurones Disease for some time.
Roger often contributed knowledgable commentary to articles on the blog, and indeed inspired or donated material for several posts. Roger was a keen photographer, wildlife enthusiast, founder member of the Friends of Park Lime Pits and campaigned long and hard for better stewardship of Walsall’s parks and greenspaces.
I often used to chat with Roger on social media – either Twitter or Facebook. His first love was Malvern, where I believe he came from, but his fascination with the Lime Pits and birds in his garden will always stay with me, as will his tales of mulberry pie made with fruit from his own tree.
Roger’s son Simon posted the following on Facebook today (1st October 2015):
Roger’s wife Sally and son Simon, are sorry to announce to his facebook friends, that Roger sadly passed away at Aldridge Court Nursing Home in the early hours of Friday 25th September.
My condolences to Sally, Simon and all of Roger’s friends and family. Motor Neurones is a cruel illness and to see such an active, thoughtful and likeable man taken by it is tragic and fills me with sadness.
Rest in peace, Roger. You will always be missed by myself, blog readers and the local online community.
You can donate to the Motor Neurone Disease Association here, if you choose.