Tears and laughter at farewell to much-loved funny man

More than 200 people packed into St Giles Church in Bramhope, Leeds yesterday afternoon to lay Mr Walker to rest after his death on June 2 following a battle with cancer.

Mr Walker, who was diagnosed in 2011, died two weeks after his 68th birthday.

He was one of the founding members of the comedy group, who made their name in the 1980s with their BBC Radio 2 series The Grumbleweeds Radio Show.

Leading the tributes outside church in Mr Walker’s home village yesterday was Robin Colvill, who founded The Grumbleweeds with Mr Walker in Leeds in 1962.

Mr Colvill said: “He was a lovely man.

“Everything he did was funny and he just walked on the stage and you laughed at him. The last 50 years have been the most amazing of my life.”

A crowd of stars gathered outside the church yesterday, including Krankies couple Janette Tough and her husband Ian, former pin-up Linda Lusardi and comedian Roy “Chubby” Brown.

As a three-strong cortege of black cars made its way into the grounds of the church, the assembled crowd fell silent as Mr Walker’s family, all carrying single flowers, lined up.

Six pall-bearers, who included Mr Colvill, former Grumbleweeds member Maurice Lee and panto legend Billy Pearce, carried Mr Walker’s dark wood coffin, decked with white lilies, into the church.

Other mourners included Frazer Hines of Emmerdale and comedians Freddie “Parrot Face” Davies and Tommy Cannon.

During the 45 minute service, led by the Rev Janice Smith, mourners sang hymns including One More Step Along the World I Go and Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer.

Mr Colvill also paid tribute to his comic partner, saying: “To his family he was a supportive husband, he was a father, grandfather, taxi service, vet, cook.

“To his pals he was a totally different person. He was a story teller. He was the life and soul of the room. As long as I’ve known him he could drink most people under the table. And he never fell over.

“We did sometimes drop him off at the wrong house in the wrong town and watch him stagger up the drive and try his keys in the door.

“He would stagger back to
the car and say: ‘Have I 
moved?’

“And to his showbiz pals he was humble and never starstruck. He had just as much time for a cleaner as he did for the top of the bill.

“He wasn’t a comedian, he was just funny doing anything he did. He had what they call funny bones.”

He also revealed: “He was also one of the worst hoarders. It was only two days ago his wife said, ‘guess how many lawnmowers he’s got?’ I thought, because it’s Graham, about four.

“She told me he had 14, and all of them don’t work.

“When we were working together we did disagree about some things but he developed this cough which would mean ‘don’t do that gag’.

“We had a chemistry together. He was my right hand man.

“I knew what we were doing in the act and he wouldn’t have a clue. This was what made the show look spontaneous – because for him it was spontaneous.”

He said his friend kept his sense of humour to the end, even telling the nurse who asked him if he needed anything “I’ve 
got everything that nobody wants.”

A tearful Mr Colvill added: “Over the 50 years we’ve done everything together.

“We’ve had kids together, grandchildren, got married, eaten, slept, laughed and cried together. But for this one ‘you’re on your own’. So get the kettle on, I’ll see you when I get there.”

Mr Walker’s daughter Victoria also paid tribute to her father.

She told the congregation: “His sense of humour has helped shape all of us and it now means we can remember him with smiles.

“Our dad clearly thought there was comedy to be found in cancer. Over the last two years it has enabled our family to laugh in dark times and keep strong for each other.”

There was also a reading from comedian Jimmy Cricket. After the service concluded, close family attended a committal at Lawswood Crematorium.

Another mourner, X Factor contestant Chico Slimani said: “I’m sure he’s in heaven, teaching the angels how to laugh.”