It is with great sadness that I report the death of Warwick Matthews in Tai Peng on May 1. Warwick had been a member of the Tai Peng Community Garden since its earliest days and he brought his own personal brand of antics and many laughs to our Sunday gatherings. Ever the task-master, Warwick reminded us to keep on top of the weeds but sat with a sweet smile on his face during our potlucks. I last saw him on Thursday standing at the edge of the garden and staring at all of the beautiful flowers. Warwick's friends at the Tai Peng Community Garden are heartbroken over his passing, but we hope we will be able to share some Warwick stories and nice memories in the coming days. We will announce the funeral arrangements when they have been made.

Rest in peace old friend.

My husband and I both know Warwick and I am a very close friend of his family. We were shocked and saddened to receive a long distance call from his wife giving us the bad news on Monday.

The funeral service is to be held at St. John's Cathedral on Monday 16th May at 11 am. Unfortunately we are not in Hong Kong and will not be able to attend. We will pray for his family and may he rest in peace.

God bless!

Here is Warwick in the early days of the Tai Peng Community Garden (November 2007) instructing us in the fine art of hoeing. Photo by D. Williamson.

Two more photos from November 2007 by D. Williamson.

God speed wherever you are my sweet curmudgeonly old friend.
I wanted to spend more time with you than I actually did - what a lesson! Seize the moment now! Love your neighbour while you still can!
Warwick, you made Tai Peng a more interesting, funny and kinder place while you were dodging our weeds and you shall continue to do the same into the future for I will, inspired by you, work to make my community as kind, inclusive as patient and loving a home as can be possible.

P.S. I hope the tomatoes are tastier in heaven!

_________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
----- Margaret Mead

Tai Peng has been a sadder place this week due to Warwicks passing. He was a true gentleman and will be sorely missed in this community. Always a fun person, I passed many an hour talking with him over a beer about world events and putting the world to rights. He always had some interesting snippet of news, he did so love the BBC World service! He was a wonderful person, kind and thoughtful he always made time for a chat. I would often walk down the hill with him early in the morning as he headed of to read the daily news paper and wait for the library to open. Always on a quest to learn a little something new each day .He always took the time to ask questions about me and my job. He was forever telling me I worked too hard and needed to spend more time enjoying the daylight hours! He was such a vibrant character and reacted to any unwanted news with big expressive gestures arms up in the air, it always made me laugh! I will miss his wonderful humor and quick wit.
I send my thoughts to his family. He was very proud of his children and spoke of them often in glowing terms, like only a proud father would do! I remember he also had a sister who lived back in the UK.
I hope his passing was painless and he did not suffer in any way.

RIP Warwick our dear friend. We will miss you x

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell, "Hallowed Ground"

So, about those tomatoes. Two years ago in a prime sunny spot in the garden, Warwick planted some tomatoes of the Roma variety. Although everyone else's tomatoes got some kind of worms or rot (don't be fooled by the pretty flowers in the front, most of us aren't very good gardeners), Warwick's shot up to about four feet and developed loads of bright green and then bright red tomatoes. We all watched with envy every time he tended his tomato plot, hoping he might offer us a few. The plants were overburdened with ripening tomatoes but suddenly one day all of the plants were completely gone. Someone asked, "Warwick, what happened to your tomatoes?" He replied, "They didn't taste like anything so I dug them up."

Just to let everybody know that the funeral service at St. John's Cathedral on Monday 16th May is changed to 1 pm.

TaiPengSan
Could you please pm or phone me me? For some reason my pm to u wont send. Warwicks widow would like to contact you.
9192 7067
Thanks,
Tavis

_________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
----- Margaret Mead