c4countdown

I heard Ralph Gillions died last week. Does anyone know what happened?

Where did you hear this Jason? He hasn't been on here for 3 weeks, that's all I know.

Oh dear. Jason, is your source reliable?

My source is a lady by the name of Kathy Challis. I do not know who she is and she hasn't gotten back to me yet.

I thought he couldn't and wouldn't stop posting here until something were to happen, very much like Nicholas Parsons has continued to work in his career. The fact that he hasn't posted here in two weeks has made me infer that his death was very slow.

If you attempt to show your sense of humor in this thread, you will be ignored.

Hello again

I now have more information.

Kathy Challis had been a close friend of Ralph's for many years. She tells me that he lived alone and his internet friends were of great importance to him. That includes Matt and Jon of course who have already responded to this thread. Kathy obviously doesn't like Countdown as much as Ralph does so I doubt she'll be here. But, she also does say that Ralph was "a caring and wonderful person."

I'll have more details about this as they come in.

This is terribly sad news if true.
Presumably you haven't been told what he died of?
Does anyone know how old he was?
Also, Jason, I wouldn't assume it was a slow lingering death, because he's had posting gaps before.

Gavin, I don't have the answers to any of your questions.

One thing I do regret is that I was trying to show my sense of humor in one of my previous posts and he said "Dearie me." Those were my last words to him. I forgot what I was talking about but that was one of the times I learned to think before I spoke.

The fact that I heard from one of his close friends leads me to believe that this is true and not a rumor, unfortunately. She wouldn't kid me.

I'm cut up, this is very sad. Ralph was genuinely one of my favourite posters on here. Fuck.

Gavin Chipper wrote:Does anyone know how old he was?

Assuming he's the same Ralph Gillions who has a profile on Forces Reunited, he was a Corporal in the Royal Tank Regiment from 1959 to 1961, so I guess he would be in his mid 70s.

Jon, do not swear.

In his postings here, Ralph has never made much secret of his appreciation of the good-looking young male visage, so when I typed his name into Google's image search I was amused to be confronted with a page of photos of semi-clad young celebrity hotties, which he has posted or commented on in various forums for the like-minded connoisseur.

Phil Reynolds wrote:In his postings here, Ralph has never made much secret of his appreciation of the good-looking young male visage, so when I typed his name into Google's image search I was amused to be confronted with a page of photos of semi-clad young celebrity hotties, which he has posted or commented on in various forums for the like-minded connoisseur.

I did the same when Jason posted the OP - it was mainly Gethin Jones, I recall. It really made me smile. Ralph was creepy in a fantastic way, and I loved how over the last year or so when people actually started to call him up on it that he played up to the image we all had of him and seemed to develop a really tongue-in-cheek self-effacing humour. RIP Ralph, I hope there's a million Jeffrey Burgins in the sky for you.

"Creepy in a fantastic way?"

Matt Morrison wrote:

Phil Reynolds wrote:In his postings here, Ralph has never made much secret of his appreciation of the good-looking young male visage, so when I typed his name into Google's image search I was amused to be confronted with a page of photos of semi-clad young celebrity hotties, which he has posted or commented on in various forums for the like-minded connoisseur.

I did the same when Jason posted the OP - it was mainly Gethin Jones, I recall. It really made me smile. Ralph was creepy in a fantastic way, and I loved how over the last year or so when people actually started to call him up on it that he played up to the image we all had of him and seemed to develop a really tongue-in-cheek self-effacing humour. RIP Ralph, I hope there's a million Jeffrey Burgins in the sky for you.

I did as well!
I think Ralph planted this little Easter Egg as his final joke for us.
RIP Ralph
I hope there's a Gillion Jeffrey Burgins in the sky for you.

I think I get the joke.

Matt Morrison wrote:RIP Ralph, I hope there's a million Jeffrey Burgins in the sky for you.

Amen to that!

I has a sad

In an e-mail sent to me, Kathy Challis wrote:

Hello,

The report from the coroner yesterday was that Ralph died of heart disease. This means that an autopsy is not needed and the family has been able to go ahead and organise the funeral.

It will be next Tuesday, 21st June, 4pm at Rotherham Crematorium.

If you decide to go to the funeral, I hope you'll make yourself known to me so we can say hello.

Best wishes

Kathy



What to say?

Oh my God! I had no idea Ralph was from my hometown of Rotherham! I'm tempted to go to his funeral now to pay my respects. His passing is sad news indeed x

Dinos, I hope to shout you moved in with Emma and Emma did not move in with you. That way, she is not involved in the future proceedings.

You are Ralph's friend, not her. As long as you go to the funeral all by your lonesome, everything will be fine.

RIP

I want to apologize for mentioning Emma in this thread when Dinos responded to it. I have just read Dinos' post in the "quitter" thread.

Dinos, here's hoping the smile is back on your face.

Now, Ralph may rest in peace.

Just noticed this now. Sad indeed. RIP Ralph.