Obituary – Richard Thick

Moving up from Cheltenham to join SCA in the late 1970s, Mr Thick embraced the timber trade with enthusiasm, joining The Saplings Club and spending six months in Sweden working at various sawmills.

He became managing director of Boras Timber UK in 1993, which was then purchased by Vida Wood AB where he continued in that role until his retirement in 2022.

Mr Thick also sat on both National Softwood and Wood for Good committees and he was also involved with the Trussed Rafter Association.

He loved meeting people and attended many functions and dinners over the years (notably not missing a single TTF annual dinner) and would normally be one of the last people to leave. He will be remembered as a long standing member of the trade, a person of great character and a wicked sense of humour. He kept many people entertained and will be sadly missed by all. His understanding and knowledge of the timber industry was second to none and to many people he was considered a mentor.

Mr Thick lived life to the full and outside the trade he loved shooting (a regular winner at the TTBS shoots), watching rugby, especially the Six Nations, where he hoped his beloved Wales would always do well and took great delight in contacting his English and Scottish friends on the few occasions that they managed to beat either, fishing, scuba diving, cooking, restoring classic cars and renovating the house along with numerous DIY projects all of which allowed him to work with what he loved – wood. .

He is survived by his wife Sharon and daughters Rebecca and Rachel.

The funeral will take place on Wednesday January 25 at 1.30pm at St Nicholas Church, Tillingham, Southminster CM0 7SU.

A reception will be held afterwards at Little Channels Golf Club, Little Waltham CM3 3PR and anyone wishing to attend please confirm this by contacting Rebecca Thick at rebecca.thick@vidawood.co.uk

The dress code is black attire and the family has requested no floral tributes but that donations can be made to Farleigh Hospice or Prostate Cancer UK via  https://stephenrichardthick.muchloved.com/