Today we say farewell to my DAD ✨
Today we celebrate a man of many names.
Leopold by birth,
Davie by choice,
and the Belge by reputation.
Born in Belgium, raised by Scotland,
he spent his whole life torn between the two…
mostly because he loved both,
and partly because both claimed him
whenever he did something daft.
A family man through and through,
he raised five sons, survived five sons,
and somehow still had the energy
for grandkids and great‑grandkids.
He adored his Linda,
and we like to think she’s up there now,
hands on hips, saying:
“About time, Dave!! You kept me waiting long enough.”
He loved fly fishing…
though the fish might not agree.
He loved socialising…
and the pubs definitely agree.
And those football trips…
where the match was a rumour,
the stadium was optional,
and the pub was the real destination.
He was the kind of man
who could walk into a room of strangers
and walk out with friends —
or at least with someone he’d convinced.
Today we say goodbye,
but we do it with a smile,
because he gave us so many reasons to.
So here’s to Davie ,Leopold David ,the Belge.
To the laughs, the stories, the stubbornness,
the heart bigger than Belgium and Scotland combined.
Raise a glass in your mind,
because he’d insist on it.
Rest easy, Belge.
And if there’s a pub up there,
save us a seat…
for when my time comes.
Cheers, DAD
Callum Blackley
19/06/2026
