Ralli News
Eddie Glass RIP
Wed 12th May 10 - 15:28
The Spirit of Eddie – A Blog for all
Eddie passed away so suddenly of a heart attack on Friday the 7th of May 2010. We at Ralli, like his family friends and colleagues, are in a massive state of shock, loss and sadness.
Eddie was known by us all as a truly happy personality within Ralli who loved his job, his colleagues and the firm. Despite his mature years, Rene would drop him off each day at 0730 and be within Ralli Courts just before noon to collect him. He was dearly loved by all of us.
Eddie loved his ties, and had an amazing collection, including a vast range of cartoon characters which he showed off with his infectious smile and a story to accompany each one. He lit up the room with his presence, and was known throughout the firm for his cheery disposition and determination to talk slow payers into coughing up their outstanding fees. Debtors or slow paying insurers loved their banter with him, and I know that some didn't like to let him down by not paying the cheque on time! He had won them over, not by threats, but with his humour and charming personality.
Many of us were fortunate to enjoy his damson gin or fresh fruit and vegetables which he brought into the office and distributed at harvest time. Others helped him with their children on his allotment, or received lovely gifts from him on his return from holiday. We were all so proud of his bowling successes and of his appearance in the national and local media for continuing to work at his 'young age'.
Eddie loved sharing his knowledge with others-particularly young people.
He gave enthusiastic assistance to the daughter of one of the Ralli partners in a religious studies project.
Eddie's contribution on the Diaspora caused the young lady's teacher to enquire in amazement as to the source of such fantastic material!
Eddie had two stints at Ralli his last commencing in 2005. He played a major part in the collection of the firm's fees and credit control. As a consequence he with others, contributed as a major participant in the firm's growth.
Ralli bases its core strength on the people within the firm. Eddie fitted all the criteria; he was kind, humorous, helpful, honest, cheery, reliable, detailed and a great friend to everyone. Avaricious behaviour was an anathema to Eddie, as he always thought of others before himself. He maintained good values. In short he was a giver.
Few knew of Eddie's achievements in his very full and varied life. He was a senior freemason, and he worked hard for various charities including the Bury Lions. He was a former councillor for Bury and this provided a rich source of material for his after dinner speeches, which he was asked to make all over the UK. Eddie played bowls at county level and even played in an international match with South Africa. Quite how he ended up playing for England's opponents on the day is yet another wonderful Eddie Glass true story. He also held a world running record which lasted for 20 years until it was beaten by Steve Ovett, who, unlike Eddie, went on to win Olympic gold. He even played in goal for Manchester City Reserves and in the German Bundesleague whilst on national service. Eddie played piano backing occasionally well known English artists such as Alma Cogan and even Diana Dors when she was a pin up and glamour queen.
We have created the Blog below to enable those who knew him to record their thoughts and happy memories of a truly wonderful man. We shall then present Rene and the family with copies for them to cherish with his memory.
Please feel free whether you work at Ralli or not to record your memories below of our dear colleague and friend.
Martin Coyne
Managing Partner
Ralli
11.05.2010
Add Your Comment
- Ralli Solicitors LLP registered in England and Wales number OC354973. Ralli Solicitors LLP is Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority Number 539811.
- Ralli - Personal & Business Manchester Solicitors
Your Comments
Michael McGuire on 25-May-2010 16:31:20
Eddie spotted that my car tax disc was out of date although I was convinced it wasn't. He was right, of course.
His eyesight and sharpness were only excelled by his humour and graciousness.
stuart page on 21-May-2010 15:35:42
I had the pleasure and priviledge of knowing the gentleman, my memory of Eddie is how much knowledge he had about Manchester and in particular the sporting history of Manchester, I used to love talking to him about boxing and football.
I had the pleasure and priviledge of meeting his family too, all of whom are cut from the same cloth with a fantastic joy of life.
As many others have already said he will be deeply missed.
Julie Ardrey on 20-May-2010 08:28:41
I was so very saddened to hear of Eddie's passing... such a lovely man with a kind word and a smile for everyone.
Lynn Mahon on 19-May-2010 13:52:05
Eddie was a true gentleman. He was a friend to many and a joy to have around.
He is; and will continue to be missed at Ralli for a very long time.
Ian Hazeldine on 14-May-2010 15:29:29
Speaking as Eddie's boss our relationship was on a more serious basis and that enables me to see him from a different perspective. It was a pleasure to work with him. He was without doubt the most effective credit controller I have ever had. His naturally warm personality shone through in his dealings with slow payers yet his professionalism and tenacity meant that he got results.
Its rather ironic that I had prepared his appraisal and we had to delay the meeting because of his hospital visits. It goes without saying that I had drafted some very complimentary comments. Its so sad that I didn't get the chance to formally pass them on!
I still can't believe what has happened and have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. He is irreplaceable not only as an employee but as a friend.
Natalie Statters on 13-May-2010 17:09:46
What can I say? Eddie was such a nice man, always had a great story to tell and always had time for everyone, no matter what.
He will be sadly missed around Ralli, with his smiling face and of course those famous ties. My thoughts are with Eddie\'s family.
You will be sadly missed Eddie, RIP. x
Rachel Darlington on 13-May-2010 16:42:13
Eddie was such a fantastic man. He always had a smile and a nice greeting for everybody. He cheered up the room when he walked in and his comedy ties always made me laugh. I will never forget when I came in one morning and found a bag of plums on my desk from his allotment - loved the phrase "Eddie's plums"! You will be sadly missed Eddie, my thoughts are with your family. RIP Eddie x
Jen Smith on 13-May-2010 16:37:41
Eddie had such an infectious personality and zest for life, you could not help but love him. He would walk into a room and light it up with his "morning all" and I always admired his lively spirit.
Eddie - you really will be missed so very much; you were taken far too soon but you have left a lasting impression on all of us.
Phil Hitchen on 13-May-2010 16:33:41
I have been off ill and just found out. I know the stress he has been under and although I would go and see him every morning I thought I would catch up with him and so missed him last time. Gutted.
Susan and I had a great barter system going with Eddie in that she was happy to make Eddie and Rene a lovely cake as often as he wanted and in turn we were given jam; fruit and veg and most important of all his friendship. It was an honour to be invited to the Golden Wedding celebration.
A lovely man with a wonderful wife and supportive family we will miss him considerably.
Debra Kirwan on 13-May-2010 16:10:31
Can\'t believe you have departed from this life. Who would have known you were never going to say \"Good Morning Chuck\" ever again. Our Eddie a true gentleman and family man who spoke so passionately about everything in his life. I remember one Christmas party ( I had only been here a couple of years) I asked Eddie to dance. He moved me round that dance floor like Fred Astaire he was truly a very talented man in more ways than one. His upbeat persona and friendly face will be sadly missed. R.I.P young man you were \"Simply the Best\" x
Natalie 'our kid' Knebel on 13-May-2010 15:44:20
ive tried to start this time after time but just couldnt quite find what to say..... each time another one of eddies phrases or jokes popped into my head.
its been strange not having my usual 'morning our kid' greeting in the morning which i got everyday, and the the shuffling through the cheque pile because he couldnt wait to see what cheques he had got in!
i sat in a room with eddie for a few years and his awfull jokes are still in my head, some were that bad thats what made them funny!we had some funny times, like the time we changed the time on the clock to trick you and the way you always used to reply to people who asked your surname 'you know the stuff you put in windows'
i look back now and realised all the times id rolled my eyes at you and call you a pain in the bum you were just trying to either cheer me up or get away with something!!
but on a serious note, Eddie you were one of the good guys, you are an inspiration to how we should live our lives, i will miss you so much, my thoughts are with Rene, martin, victor, michelle and your grandchildren, they are so lucky to have had you,
people like you are hard to find.
jane probert on 13-May-2010 14:37:25
How i'm going to miss Eddie, he'd programe the code in, the door would spring open, "Morning chucks" is how he greeted me every single morning with a big beautiful smile on his face,
He was a true gentleman who was always thinking of others and putting them first.
Reading these comments only proves how much he was loved and I more than anyone is going to miss him so very much, I feel privelidged to have worked with him and got to know him so well.
Good Night Eddie, Rest In Peace,
I will never forget you.xx
Emma Wilcox on 13-May-2010 13:23:31
Well what can I say \"what a gent \" Eddie was, I will always remember him walking around with a massive smile on his face that instantly cheered everyone up not to mention our little presants of plums on our desks...\"Eddies plums\" never did he miss anyone out, always thinking about everyone.
Loved my little updates on his chasers and assuring me dont worry he would sort it and I always knew he would.
He will be missed greatly, I feel thankful to have known Eddie he was one of lifes diamonds.
RIP Eddie
Mark Briegal on 13-May-2010 11:43:41
Eddie was a great man, a good friend and I miss him terribly. I still look at my office door about 7.45 am every morning, waiting for Eddie to appear with a big grin, a wacky tie, a bad joke, a good story and something interesting from his allotment. No more jars of jam and chutney in the fridge form “The Eddie Glass Jam Company”, as his labels said.
The more I got to know Eddie over the years the more impressive I realised he was, behind the jovial, self deprecating façade. A truly magnificent sportsman, in many different sports, a local politician, a gardener, a mason, a stalwart of the community, an organiser and a doer. He was one of life’s greats – always more interested in others than in himself.
The world is a poorer place.
Andrew Coyne on 13-May-2010 11:00:13
Having been here for slightly less than 12 months, Eddie is certainly one of the characters who has made an everlasting impression upon me. \"Mornin\' gang\" was the greeting most mornings, followed by some comment about how dire City had played the night before (regardless of how they had played), or one of his stories mentioned by so many people, and then a parting joke. You could always guarantee a smile from him, and the smile was infectious.
My thoughts are with Eddie\'s family and wherever he is, he\'ll be putting smiles on faces. Rest in Peace Eddie
Maria Penny on 13-May-2010 10:46:51
I was deeply shocked and saddened when I heard the news Eddie had passed away.
From my first day at Ralli he made me feel welcome and always said "morning dear" when passing my desk.
I loved his sense of humour, his wacky ties and the twinkle in his eyes which told you nothing would get him down.
I recall coming in to work one morning and finding a huge bag of plums on my desk, this certainly cheered me up and coined the phrase 'Eddie's plums'.
I will miss him terribly, he made each day a little brighter and was a true inspiration. He lived his life to the absolute maximum and it is wonderful to hear so many stories people have of their times with him.
I will never forget you Eddie - RIP always x
Sheila Houghton on 13-May-2010 09:37:30
Eddie was a very kind and big hearted person who will be greatly missed. He was also very funny and I used to enjoy swopping stories and anecdotes with him about life in the Armed Forces, sharing typical service life banter. It was no surpise that Eddie faced up to his health issues with his usual upbeat outlook on life. He was one in a million. RIP
Sonya Byrom on 13-May-2010 09:20:22
Eddie was one of the first people who welcomed me when I first started at Ralli and his warmth and joviality helped set the scene. He would walk through every morning and always have a cheerful word for everyone.
It soon became clear that Eddie was a keen gardener, and his description of his allotment was so inspiring that I asked if I could visit and bring my godson, to which Eddie, happily, agreed. The morning of our visit was bright and sunny and the allotments nestled to the rear of a wide circle of Victorian houses. The large patch of greenery created by all of the allotments virtually glowed in the sunlight. Eddie proceeded to show us all around his allotment: the seedlings, the vegetable patches, the fruit canes and the fruit trees. The experience was really special and I will always think of it when I think of Eddie. Happy memories of a lovely man. x
Gill Nuttall on 13-May-2010 08:15:18
Eddie, I am going to miss you so much. Even thinking about writing this brings tears to my eyes. I still can't believe I will never see you again, say "good morning young man" which always made you smile.
When you told me recently that you were poorly, I told you you had to fight it. You said you would do your best, you weren't worried about yourself, you were worried about Rene and your family - typical of you. Eddie we didn't want to lose you, you were an "office dad" to so many of us and truly, the world is a different place without men like you.
I remember only a few weeks ago we chatted about your Friday nights, and I asked what you would do if I just turned up at your house, because I'd always wanted to see your traditional Friday evening that I'd heard so much about. You looked at me with surprise and said "What do you think I'd do?" I said "Invite me in and feed me?" "That's correct" you said, with a huge smile. One day Eddie, we'll all meet up again, and you can pull up that chair for me. Until that day, you rest in peace Eddie. X
Chris MacCafferty on 12-May-2010 16:58:58
There is no doubt that Eddie lived life to the full. He was passionate about everything he did. He was always in a good mood. Well almost always. I remember the rare occasions when he would come into my office quite upset about disputes at the Allotment or Bowling Club. We used to chat about tactics and Eddie had real fire in his belly to sort it out. Something tells me that very few if any got the better of Eddie.
Eddie never told the same story twice. He had so many interesting stories and he didn’t seem to mind my many questions about his past.
I know Eddie was part way through his memoirs. If they do get finished, I certainly will buy a copy.
Eddie you were one of life’s characters. I will miss you.
Rest in peace Eddie.
Chris Deay on 12-May-2010 16:22:49
I was watching a comedy film on DVD when I received news of Eddie\'s sad passing. I was initially shocked and deeply upset but then realised that he probably would have wanted me to be laughing shortly before finding out about the sad news. He probably would have encouraged me to switch it back on and carry on laughing!
I became quite close with Eddie whilst working at Ralli because I would like to think we are similar types of people although he is a lot more pragmatic than I ever could be. We both tell bad jokes and enjoy seeing others laugh. We both probably annoyed certain individuals with our childish behaviour but maturity was never a strong point for either of us!
It is virtually impossible to pay a fitting tribute to Eddie because there were just so many layers to the man but if I can enjoy life anywhere near as much as he clearly did then I can\'t wait for the rest it so long as City don\'t win anything!!
Sleep well pal.
Ruth Shearn on 12-May-2010 16:20:53
I speak on behalf of my colleagues when I say how very sorry we were to hear the sad news about Eddie.
On each of the occassions we dealt with Eddie we found him to be charming, funny, interesting and kind spirited.
His love of life - and work - were inspirational.
He was a character who seemed invinsible - his memory certainly will be.
Richard Biggs on 12-May-2010 16:16:59
I'll always remember how he used to leave fruit on people's desks - I still laugh at how colleagues used to refer to 'Eddie's plums'.
His jokes weren't great, but he always made me laugh.
I was hassling him last week to chase a cheque for me. I've been promised it in the next few days, so thanks Eddie.
A top man. Rest in peace.
Anne-Marie McMahon on 12-May-2010 16:14:02
Eddie was absolutely one of the happiest people I have ever met and always so helpful and wanting to share his wealth of knowledge. I remember once I asked his advice about how to grow courgettes and after following his instructions to the letter sure enough at harvest time I had enough courgettes to feed the whole street!!. RIP Eddie Glass
Debbi Rainford on 12-May-2010 16:12:50
Eddie; what can I say! He was a wonderful man and a delight to work with. His cheery disposition would brighten many a dull morning whilst we were both making our first brew of the day - mine tea, his some green concoction!
He is 100% responsible for my new found interest in home grown veggies. He told me how to plant my first potato and I have never looked back. My husband has never forgiven him since I have now dug up half his lawn to make more room!!!!! In honour of his memory I will be sure to bring in a sample of my produce at harvest time. I am sure it will not be a patch on his but since I learnt from the best I hope they will be pretty good!
Eddie was a great character, full of life and with some fabulous stories. I will really miss our morning chats and I will now have to rely on books and Lyn Mahon for veggie advice!
RIP Eddie x
Steve Kuncewicz on 12-May-2010 15:57:08
I spent two years at Ralli. Although I\'m not there any more I was proud and privileged to work with a number of great lawyers and great people, chief amongst whom was Eddie Glass.
Eddie had a hard job but never gave anyone (debtors included) an unnecessarily hard time. He was a man of undeniable character, wit, generosity and above all compassion. Very few people knew exactly how much he contributed to Ralli as a firm, but many knew the contribution he made to each member of the firm\'s working and personal life by being part of it.
I still find it very hard to believe that Eddie isn\'t going to be wandering round from office to office in Ralli Courts with either a Debtor\'s List or something from his garden.
There is a very special place in the heart of everyone who knew Eddie for his memory and a special place in wherever we go from here for people like him.
From my own very selfish point of view, I wish I\'d known him longer and I will miss him, My and Claire\'s thoughts are wirth Rene at this very difficult time as well as with everyone at Ralli.
Rest in peace, Eddie. The world is a darker place without you.
Peter Flemming on 12-May-2010 15:57:02
Eddie was one of life\'s good guys and I, for one, will certainly miss him.
Rob Illidge on 12-May-2010 15:53:56
Eddie was just one of those people that cheered you up no matter what mood you were in, you didn't really have a chance not to smile, especially once your eyes made contact with his choice of tie for that day. And even if this didn't make you smile his excellent sense of humour wouldn't fail.
One thing I loved about Eddie was his passion, he was passionate about everything, he even got involved with social media!
Each week we would progress his LinkedIn profile that little bit further, we both knew he didn't have to do it, but he wanted to, he wanted to make that extra effort for others.
It was an honour and a joy to work with Eddie, in return for my so called 'social media lessons' he amazed me with his religious knowledge was always happy to answer the sometimes bizarre and random questions I had.
RIP Eddie
Carol Manners on 12-May-2010 15:52:46
Eddie was a lovely man. Whenever we spoke, he was always cheerful. I would ask how he was and he would say I am marvellous, he always had a smile on his face and that is why he will be dearly missed by me. I used to comment on his lovely bright ties which made me smile and his little jokes. The world would be a better place if everyone was like him. RIP Eddie Glass.