FRANK BALI

Uncle Frank, you became such a significant figure after our adoption.  You certainly lit up the room whenever you walked in and your weekly visits to the house were something of a treat. You were always interested in what we were up to and encouraging us in our various pursuits.  The joking was almost relentless, your Kenny Everett impressions making me laugh until it hurt.  Your loyalty to your family was so lovely to see.  The devotion you had for your mother was so moving and it was clear to see how close you were to your siblings.

I enjoyed our conversations about music and our trips to Ronnie Scott’s.  I remember showing you the first cassette that I bought with my own money: a jazz compilation.  You talked me through who the different artists were.  You also opened my ears to the wonderful playing of Monty Alexander and Buddy Rich.  Even in the hospital at the end you were still asking Alison and I about our gigs and how we were all doing.

It’s really beautiful to read the contributions from your many friends and colleagues.  I always knew that there was more to this story than the Uncle Frank that we knew as children and it’s wonderful to read how loved you were by so many.

We’ll miss Cousin Frank.

He enjoyed coming north to Caithness to stay with us on the farm.  He always timed his visits to fit in with the Sarclet Hogmanay which lasts for a week, or for the Lamb Sales.  For the Lamb Sales we always had him rigged out in welly boots, a boiler suit, heavy coat and a cap – we told him he’d be out of place if he turned up in his London clobber.  If we got a good price for the lambs, we always attended the bar to rejoice, and if we got a poor price, we had a dram anyway to drown our sorrows.  He liked that idea.

Irene and I will sadly miss him.

We have great memories of time with Frank when he came on visits to Caithness.  He was fun, kind, uplifting and there was an abundance of humour.  Frank’s visits were always a highlight of holidays and our friends/ neighbours also enjoyed when Frank visited.  We loved the times we were also able to see him in London.  We shall treasure the fondest memories of such a true gent, simply one in a million.

With love from,
Jasmine, Alan, Olivia & Robbie xxxx

Frank was the baby of the family and known as “wee Francis”.  I first met Frank when I married his big brother Peter, following the death of his father, Dr Bali.  Frank was at boarding school, but on Saturdays we would take him for a kick about in the park and a picnic.

When our children Nicola and Adrian arrived, Frankie was a much favoured uncle and his turn to take them to the park.  We were allowed sessions on those drums!

In more recent times, Frank was a support to us all throughout Peter and Adrian’s illnesses by visiting, telephoning and emailing updates to them on the woes and joys of Tottenham Hotspur, now third generation supporters.  As a family, we have happy everlasting memories of Robert and Vera’s family get-togethers with Frank, where he was a natural entertainer.

I will miss you Frank.

The Uncle Frankie we loved remains with us and will live on in many memories that will never be forgotten.

I am saddened to lose another member of our family and I just regret I couldn’t spend more time with Frank and help him through his most difficult days.  I will miss him bringing me up to date with Private Eye, joking my education may have been neglected, a perfect example of his quick wit and brilliant sense of humour.

With affectionate remembrance.

An uncle who cared about his family.  A great lover of music and always interested in the music his family was involved in.   A very funny guy who always saw the funny side of life and shared his humour with others.  He will be missed.

Adam and Carole x

Frank was a kind and loving uncle, and fantastic great uncle to my children Ethan, Henry, Charlie and Elyza.  His visits were always full of fun and laughter.  Christmas was made truly magical with his appearance several days before, overladen with presents for the tree.  That’s when Christmas really began once Uncle Frank had been!  He totally lit up the room with his jokes, his jolly laugh and all his fabulous stories from his time at customs.  His accents were brilliant and he always had us in stitches.

Since retiring he became a gentler soul but still with a twinkle in his eye.  During the last few months I spoke to him several times on the phone and I know it was tough for him in his flat with his deteriorating health.  But even so we had some lovely chats putting the world to rights and just having a good old chuckle.  I was not able to see him at the hospital but my brother Mirek read him a personal note from me to say goodbye, which I’m happy to know made him smile.  RIP dear Uncle Frank.

Say hi to Nana for me ❤️

Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of Frank. I first met Frank many years ago at London Heathrow Airport when Kamlesh, my wife, and I were travelling from London to Toronto.  It was a brief meeting but I was very impressed with Frank’s codial manner.  Subsequently, we met Frank a couple of times at Vera and Robert’s apartment, where we were graciously invited to dinner and I got to know Frank very well.

Frank and I would often talk over the phone about his health issues, among other things.  Frank’s kind nature and sincerity was very appealing.  Frank had a special place in my heart and he has left behind lot of memories, which I will cherish.

May the departed soul Rest In Peace.

Dearest Frank,

Our relationship was distanced because of our location… Nimmi in Vancouver, Ranji in Munich, Chander and Tita between the Philippines and Canada… yet you never failed to bridge the distance by always sending greetings on special occasions, especially Christmas, by phone or mail.

We can fondly remember, a long time ago, when you visited us in Canada and also when we visited you in England. You always represented kindness and uprightness, you were very easy to get along with and you were caring, not just to your family, but it was embedded in your nature to care for others; also there were many more qualities which mean that we would describe you dearly as a good soul.

Frank, we will miss you so much.  In better times we would have visited you before you departed this world but we know we shall meet again in another world.  We will treasure fond memories of you.  We know you are now in a better place devoid of physical suffering.

May God embrace you in His loving arms.  Rest in peace, dear Frank.

Love Nimmi, Ranji, Chander & Tita

My brother and I were fortunate enough to be able to spend some time with Frank, our Uncle, shortly before he passed away.

Even though he was bedridden in hospital,  extremely ill and frail, he surprised me one day when I remarked that he was quite lucid; he turned his head towards me slowly, frowning but with a hint of a smile, “Are you sure?” he asked.

Frank was a lovely bloke.

Frank was the best brother-in-law.  I got on well with him from the start.  He was friendly and welcoming, and as I got to know him better, I realised just how kind and generous he was.

I very soon discovered his love of drumming.  We had some lively times going to the East End pub where he was playing –  the place fairly rocked. I was introduced to Ronnie Scott’s very soon after Vera and I got married;  what an eyeopener when Buddy Rich appeared;  infectious enthusiasm surrounded us.  I hadn’t realised drummers like him had such fervent fans;  the excitement was palpable.

At this time, I saw a lot of Frank; he was very sociable and great fun at our parties but he was also very good at giving us a hand with the “clearing-up.”  We really appreciated his volunteering to drive us around British Columbia and we had a good holiday with him.  I was warmly welcomed by all Frank’s cousins in Vancouver;  l was beginning to really get to know all Vera’s family.

We had very enjoyable holidays in Caithness. S ometimes Frank was up there with his mother and we joined them;  Frank introduced me to his numerous relations – cousins Jimmy, Robert and Jock and their sister, Margaret, in Sutherland.  I was meeting an ever-widening circle of  Frank and Vera’s family.  Frank was popular with everyone in the family.

When Frank’s mother came to live with us in Wimbledon, I saw how caring he was, visiting her frequently;  he helped in many ways so that we were able to go on holiday.  He became a huge favourite with our children and always took a lot of interest in all they were doing and had great affection for them.

I enjoyed Frank’s company very much. We often had quiet discussions on a variety of topics but we usually ended up with politics.;  we might have had differing views but it always remained civilised.  He was wryly amused by the pretensions of incompetent politicians as we got older.

Frank’s later years were blighted by deteriorating health and I was saddened that he could not do many of the things he had planned for retirement.  His kindness and generosity of spirit spread so much happiness and will never be forgotten. As my sister in law Lila, remembers, in Ealing, he surprised a neighbour’s child one Christmas, by sounding Santa’s bells;  when the excited child rushed to the door, he was delighted to find presents outside.

We were so happy to come across this letter very recently which had been written to him by our daughter.  It is a good example of how so many will remember him, myself included.

Farewell to the best brother-in-law one could ever have.  RIP Frank.

Frank – a charming, witty gentleman; always putting the good of others ahead of his own.  Diverse abilities, yet fundamentally a lover of simplicity and sincerity, with a huge heart.

That is how I will remember Frank.

Our world was certainly enriched by Frank’s presence, our memories of him will continue to warm our hearts.  I am an only child, but if I had been gifted with a brother, I would have wanted him to be another Frank.  Now memories of his great kindness and sense of humour help to ease our sense of loss, but it is our loss, not Frank’s.

May God grant him everlasting happiness and peace as we express our gratitude for his being with us in this world.

Frank’s warmth, kindness, strength and personality will leave a gaping hole in the lives of all close to him. We send our love and support to you all.

My greatest sadness to hear of the loss of a remarkable man as Frank who will dearly missed by all his family and friends but never forgotten.  While we all have our fond memories of such a kind, caring, funny and thoughtful chap and also like a father figure to me and someone I could trust, there aren’t too many true friends that you can count on one hand, I’m glad to say Frank was one of them.

I met Frank back in the eighties when called out to his home in Ealing for a job to repair and tune his car the old Ford Sierra that he loved for many years.  We started to get to know each other over a cup tea and a packet or two of Jaffa cakes 😊 until I moved into a garage where Frank would come down on my days off to repair his cars and then it was tea and a bacon roll…and of course the odd Jaffa cakes still.

We were going up in the world when it came to summer BBQs round mine and out to the Chinese in London that he loved so much where he had been with his work colleagues and had some very fond memories of them, London Soho Ronnie Scott’s Jazz was another thing he loved to talk about and comedy like Scotch &Wry.

I would often go and visit Frank after work where we would have a catch up, a cuppa and sandwich and a cake or two, put the world to rights and hear his stories about his work colleagues, the fun and fond memories he had of them while telling a few jokes or humorous things that had happened.

In July of 2005, I had had a bad accident in France where Frank went with my wife to visit me while there and then back in the UK Frank would come to West Middlesex hospital to visit me over four and a half months nearly every day for at least 2 – 3 hours or more.

The nurses there liked Frank’s wit and humour often arriving and telling them a joke or two and of course the chocolates he would often bring them… must have kept the local dentist busy.

Frank would always say being retired now he had plenty of time to visit but his bigger plan was to spend his time to visit his family and friends and have some good holidays, be able to go off on a weekend break or two with his old work mates and catch up.

Sadly, this was not to be as Frank had himself become ill and was deteriorating as the years went on, spending more and more time at the doctors and in hospitals, places he had started to hate being at.

I would like to thank Vera and Robert for being there for Frank when times have been so difficult going for them and appreciate keeping us all informed about our dear Frank.

I send my Love to all Frank’s friends and family keep safe and keep his memories going.

I was extremely sad to hear that my good friend Frank had passed away.

I first met Frank shortly after joining H.M. Customs in London, in October 1976 as a 17 year old.  We have remained good friends ever since. Frank always brought a smile to your face and was one of the most generous and kind hearted people I have ever met.  We have had countless parties, lunches and nights out over the years.

I emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1988, but Frank and I always kept in touch with emails, Christmas cards and phone calls. On my numberous trips back to London, I would always contact Frank and we would have lunch, either for one of his special curries at his home or a local restaurant.  Everytime I visited his home he would always bring out a supply of my favourite beer.

I have so many great memories of Frank and I have been privileged to have known him for 44 years.

Cathy, my wife and I will miss him greatly.

Rest in Peace, my friend

Love, Clive and Cathy

A fond farewell to the dearest friend I ever had.

Dear Frank

You were my best friend since our school days.  No matter what problems I might have had, I knew that I could rely on you for sound, sensible and common sensical advice.  Never a cross word was ever uttered between us.  You were always good to your friends and fellow human beings.

Theano had the highest regard and respect for you from the moment she first met you nearly 30 years ago.

May your journey into the unknown be forever a happy one.

Take care, dear Frank, all our love.

It must be around fifty years since I last saw Frank when I was sharing a flat with Vera in Red Lion Square.  I have vivid memories of a lovely man who always had a wide grin on his face and was always willing to help and was a pleasure to be with.

May he rest in peace.

I’m so sorry that you have lost your dear Frank but knew he had suffered ill-health for quite some time.  A peaceful end in good care is to be thankful for.

Gentle, amiable and funny, he was always so pleasant and fun to socialise with.  You will miss him greatly and we who had met him over the years will too.  Now he is resting and one day you will all be reunited.

With very much love and wistful thoughts for you.

I’m so saddened to hear about dear Frank, but good to hear he was well looked after by the staff at the West Middlesex Hospital. I’m heartened to hear that he had a peaceful death, to what can only have been such painful time for him.  He was such a gentle and kind man.  I’m so sorry, you must both be devastated and exhausted.  Please take care of yourselves. You know if there is anything I can do, please ask. You need time to recover from the shock and intensity of the last week.

My thoughts and prayers are with you both and to the rest of the family.  I shall light a candle for Frank and include him in my prayers.  With much love and gentle hugs.