Noel Picker Updated July 9th '06
Would just like to send our sincere condolences to
Noels friends and family and just really wanted to reiterate what everyone who knew him said, and that he was a really good
person with a big heart and always had time for people - we only wish we had kept in touch after leaving the Bahamas.
God bless xxx
Janice, Chris & Able
Poveromo
Dear Neil,
Just wanted to say thank you for your brilliant website we have just
sat down to read all the tributes, you are a true genius.
The Funeral went beautifully I got to meet up with Paul,
Clive, Mike, Linda, Dee & Sandy and not forgetting little Sarah.
I may come along to your next reunion in Jan
so I can catch up with you all.
Take Care
Ali x
Hello Neil
I thought
you would like to know that Noel's funeral was a very touching and dignified day, and, of course, not without humour.
The priest (a farther Ted figure) was in the middle of the service, the next hymn to be The Lord is my Shepard,
poor soul, he momentarily for the music, admitted his mistake, we all had a chuckle, then he carried on with a lovely service.
Needless to say we all went for a drink after.
My kind regard to you and Blanca
Dee
Sorry, the funeral day has been changed as we wanted to have a mass before the Crematorium.
The Funeral will be held on
TUESDAY 23rd MAY @ 1130
ST MARY'S RC CHURCH
EAST
FINCHLEY
LONDON
N2
Everyone Welcome Allison
Dear Neil,
Thank you so much for your email, I know the Bahamas was one the high points in Noel's
life and he also made amazing friends who he also valued very much.
I
would love to here any old stories about Noel as it really helps,
Many
Thanks Neil,
Alison
x
Neil,
It is with a sad heart that I relay the news that Noel passed away in
his sleep yesterday after a long battle with cancer. He was unable to attend the recent reunion in London because he
was never comfortable being the recipient of sympathy due to his condition. I know he would have loved to reminisce
with old friends and share stories if his circumstances were different. His time in London fighting this disease was
made more tolerable by the occasions when he could visit with old friends from the Bahamas and home. To those of us
who knew him we were richer for the benefit of his friendship and he will be missed by many.
Sadly,
Peter Martin
Hi Neil,
Would you please let everyone
know that Noel Picker passed away yesterday, Tuesday 16th.
He died of cancer in London. His funeral will be on Wednesday
24th May and his niece, Allison, is taking care of all the funeral arrangements.
If anyone would like to send
a rose, Allison has made arrangements with a UK florist, their phone number: UK - 208 – 444 0316
Please forward
your condolence to Allison, her email address: alijosmith@yahoo.co.uk
I’m sure that she would be pleased to hear
from those that knew Noel.
Thanks Neil,
Regards,
Cheryl Delphin
Dear Playboy Bahamas & Cable Beach lists...
It
is my very sad duty to inform you that Noel Picker passed away on Tuesday.
As
many of you know, Noel had been fighting cancer for some time
but
has now lost the battle.
He passed away peacefully, in his sleep,
having made the world a much better
place for all his friends and
relations.
Some of us were fortunate enough to see Noel at
the London reunion of January '05.
He almost made the Jan. '06
reunion but was not having a good day.
Doug and Linda had lunch
with him a couple of weeks later and said he was
doing ok and looked
good.
This is indeed a very sad time.
There will a funeral on Wed. 25th May.
you can send a rose through
a UK florist. Tel: 208 444 0316
Please also send me eulogies and
anecdotes so I can create a book of remembrance
on the web site
and "Celebrate the Life of Noel Picker"
Thanks,
Neil.
Dear Neil.. this is very very sad news indeed
, Noel was my friend, I did not know he was sick till just the other day when John Rapa call me and told me about Noel been
sick ..you right Noel did made world a better place , he was a gentleman and loyal friend ..and I was very fortunate to know
him .
Thank you. I am too sad to tell you anecdotes and stories about Him right now , but I will
as he did spend lots of time in our place ( when Billy and I live in casino corner apartment )
Thank
you love
Magda Ridley
Dear Neil ,
Don't know
if you have heard yet & sorry to be the bringer of sad news but
Noel entered a hospice in N London last week
and died on the evening of Tu.16th.
I believe the funeral is next Wed.
Mike Herridge
I was very shocked to
learn of Noel's death, I hope that it was a painless passing away for someone still so young. I do remember how professionally
he worked in Nassau with his quiet and unassuming nature fitting his work as a dealer, excellently. I remember he
loved his golf, investing his savings in various professional coaching trips to Florida and beyond, only to develop the dreaded
shanks. Unlike me, he coped with his problem in a calm manner, which I'm sure he did in his professional and private life
outside of Playboy. It is such a sad time when someone is lost, and my heart goes out to his family and friends. Noel did
make his mark in his short life.
Neil,
I do think it's important to stay in touch with old friends, even if it can only be through your great internet site.
I wasn't aware that Noel had been suffering. It made me think what interesting reading it would make if everyone on the
list could put a few lines together about their life and achievements, disappointments etc to date, for the site and
for everyone's benefit. Perhaps everyone could then write a short update each year so we could all keep in touch even
at great distances. I know everyone leads hectic lives so it could be a great way to remember past acquaintances. Again, thanks
for the work you do maintaining this site, it does matter!
Kind regards,
Richard Kowski
It's a shock to hear of Noel's passing. Apart from working with him at Playboy Bahamas, my wife
Carol worked with him on Carnival Cruise lines.
I suppose one thing we all remember
at any fancy dress party , is his trademark bright blond wig , shiny blue jacket . The epitome of the late 50's
early 60's rock and roller. I shall endeavour to find some photos on my return to England
in September. Brian Lamm
Neil ..I am sending you e-mail from Cathy Dempsey , she live in Holland now , and funny
you put this picture of Noel in Elvis wig ....She remember even the lyrics he wrote to his Elvis song: funiculi , funicula
...I remember now .
I do read you side very
very often ... and I think as Richard Kowski put it it is important to stay in touch with old friends and everything he said
about Noel was so accurate.
You do fantastic
work and I am sure all of us love-it ...I do. It not matter that I am out of Casino, s for 14 years now, Nassau and Playboy,
Cable Beach was big part of my life. Thank you again Magda Ridley Hello
Magda, yes, I do remember Noel, I can still see him in that hysterical Elvis wig, singing new lyrics he had written to 'funiculi,
funicula' he was a likeable and funny man. I am very sorry to hear that he has died. I might have a photo of him
somewhere wearing that wig. I'll try to dig it out.
I am going on a visit to Billy next week - starting Monday, I will get him to start
using his computer a bit more. Every time I bring it up he say's he is waiting for me to get there and show him what to
do. He is working from now until Monday morning, but I will ring him and leave him a message on his answerphone.
Look after yourself
Lots of love always Cathy
I
am so sad to hear this news. I don't have any particular anecdotes but Noel was just a thoroughly good guy,
a lovely dry sense of humour, and it was always nice to be in his company. I was over the moon to see him at the January
'05 reunion in London and we had a lovely chat about the old times. I just wish that wasn't the last time but
I'll remember him with great fondness.
Teresa
Hi Neil,
thanks for letting us know about Noel. He was one of the first
friends I made when I landed in Nassau. We were pretty close on the rock. Worked together in Baton Rouge too.
Wish we'd stayed in touch, hind sight right?
Thought
he was still in Gary, Indiana or wherever he went. Did he go back to England? Did he have someone special?
Hate to think of him being alone, he was too good a person. Did not know he had cancer, this was a shock.
Thanks again darling,
Shirley
It was with great sadness that we learned of Noel's death.
We last saw Noel at the 2005 Playboy Bahamas Reunion in London. What a fantastic evening we all had, talking laughing
and reminiscing about days gone by....great fun. We're so glad we got to see Noel again after 24 years and truly
sorry that it was in fact the last time we would all get together. Our condolences go to Noel's family; he will
be sorely missed by all who knew him....one of life's true gentlemen.
All
our love
John and Terry
Hi Neil, I am very saddened by the news of Nollys passing ,I wished he
had made it to the last reunion he was one of the people I wanted to meet up with, I shared a house with him in Harbour mews
and we were really close, but as you said we move , get girlfriends, new jobs etc and lose contact, i have many pictures which
I will try and send ,it is with a heavy heart that I write this letter ,all the memories of him are coming back I hear his
voice and remember his dry sense of humour, he never suffered fools and was one of those people who defended justice he would
have made a great revolutionist, the defender of rights !!
I haven't seen him for so many years but I miss him !!!!
especially knowing I will never talk to him again ,
So long Nolly, gone but not forgotten old mate ,
see you sometime,
Chris Ash
Dear Allison,
I am very sorry for your loss. Noel was one of the good guys. Although
I never worked with him ( I have - and still - work at The Casino (now Atlantis) on PI) I
did share an apartment (the
house in Harbour Mews) with him for 4 years. I have a few reminiscences of him to pass on. They are small prosaic things.
I am not a tea drinker but Nolly drank a lot of tea and showed me how to squeeze the teabag around the spoon.
I often make tea for my wife now, as she is an avid tea drinker, so for that domestic reason I probably recall him most days.
He had Humphrey Bogart's clay face hanging on the wall. He had Boxing gloves there too, as he was a keen
boxer in his youth and followed the fight game closely. He liked Elvis and liked wearing his Elvis wig when he went to parties.
I see pictures of him
with it on are already on the web site. He was a good friend to Paul Beirne who I met on
the couch more than a few times when I got up in the morning.
He liked his golf. But above all I remember
him as a happy and cheerful guy, a good and loyal friend who got the most out of life.
He will be missed
but he will not be forgotten
James Burnett
Hi Neil
Feeling very upset hearing
about Noel.
Many great memories of Nolly in the Bahamas and on the cruise ships.
I have included some photos which
i treasure even more now.
He was a true character and even though we all lose touch with each other i
will truly
miss him.
Regards Harry Heyward
Hello Neil
I'm not sure if we know
each other or not, although your name is familiar. I have just heard the news of Noel's death.
We
worked together at Cable Beach, and for Carnival. He was a warm good hearted man with a keen sense of fairness and Justice,
and will be missed by his family, friends, and those of us lucky enough to have met him. If you can, please let me know
of his funeral arrangements.
Kind regards
Dee Grandison
Just
heard the sad news.
We worked together at the Cable Beach and in Baton Rouge
Noel left an impression on all of the people who were fortunate enough to have
known him.
His great sense of humour and his big smile are how I will
always remember him.
It's a sad day for all of us! He is gone but
not forgotten.
Ian Cairns
Hi Neil,
Very upsetting news about Noel, I was not aware that he had been ill for some time. Noel was a great character
and a true gentleman.
I will always remember our many golf games together in the Bahamas. Noel played his golf
as he lived his life with total enjoyment and great determination.
He will be sadly missed and my condolences to
Noel's family at this difficult time.
Don Kennaugh
Hi Neil
I was very
saddened to hear of Noel´s passing and although I never worked with him as I worked on Paradise Island ,for the first
10years in Nassau I lived on Cable Beach and would see him quite often. The amusing thing I wanted to share with his family
and this book of remembrance was Noel would constantly tease me and it was quite a long time before he told me how he knew
this mutual friend. Before I worked in the Bahamas I trained as a hairdresser and worked with a guy who is now a household
name in hairdressing John Frieda he was married to LULU. We had got chatting and he mentioned he knew John and Lulu. So for
quite sometime he would say how´s John do you see him in Noel´´s dry wit he would then say and Lulu. He
finally told me he used to play cricket with John in Highgate and had met Lulu just once. But he toyed with me for years over
this.
Mark Corne
Hello Neil..........life is so short...........Noel was an amazing person...............he
always made me laugh .he had such a zest for life .................we shared some great times together..........Daveen xxxxxxxxxxxxx
I was so very sad to hear of Noels passing.
One
vivid and extremely fond memory I have of Noel is at the Cable Beach Inn after work with Shirley and I and
a group of us singing our heart out to the Dionne Warwick song 'That's what friends are for'. Whenever
that was played we all burst into song! If ever I hear that song now my mind immediately jumps back almost 20 years to those
very memorable years in Nassau
*****************
And I never thought I'd feel
this way
And as far as I'm concerned
I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe I love you
And if I should ever go away
Well then close your eyes and try
To feel the way we do today
And then
if you can remember
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's
what friends are for
For In good times and in bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what
friends are for
Well you came and opened me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way
I thank you
And then for the times when we're apart
Well then close your eyes and know
These words
are coming from my hearts
And then if you can remember
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always
count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For in good times and in bad times
I'll
be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Keep shining Noel
Tina Forte
Sad news about Noel... he was my 1st ever casino mgr
in 1994 on the M/V Fantasy Carnival...i was a (still
am i think) Tech, he would come in the countroom to
check
the money (count all the rolls of coins etc) and
say check that roll of quaters there.. one short! so i
opened the
roll and sure enough each time he was
right! my mate Ste Jones (lost contact) another tech
would shake his head
to Noel and say no way! Noel,
would smile, and say"its the eye!" i still got it!!
what a fun character,
i was lucky to meet him.
John Sidebotham. And anyone wanna e mail me pls do.
John is now on the Friends list. Neil
Dear Neil,
Have only just got e-mail, slow as
usual. think your fantastic for doing
this and please please keep up the good work. Can't believe that noel has
gone, he was one of the only people in the Bahamas that was without a doubt
always there. I don't really have any
memories of the Bahamas that don't
have Noel in them.
Thank you for the memories Noel, see you soon.
Love
Carrie
Hi Neil,
although i had been talking to noel for a while before he passed away, i dont think
i believed this was happening
but i guess that was down to the way he was handling the situation, he always sounded up beat. I will always remember the
times he stood floor over
two busy crap games and he would let his mind drift to the golf course, he would put
his rating cards down then start to perfect his swing, and when there was a bit of a roll going
he would shout
out "aye aye jimmy wheeler "but i dont think it ever worked. Noelly was a great
character & ime proud
to to have known him, he was a good friend to me, Johanna & Jake
Paul Johnstone
I.ve just heard the sad news about Nolly and I would like to offer my
condolences
to all of his family and friends.
Nolly was sunshine personified and his memory will always take me to blue
skies.
Johanna Johnstone
Dear Neil,
Starting from January 05 I was able to renew my friendship with Noel Picker.
I had not seen Noel for a long time. We had exchanged some Christmas cards
and life was going well it seemed. After
the 05 reunion we made plans to
play some golf and I am pleased to say that in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn
we
relived our golfing days we shared together in the Bahamas. We played at
various courses around London and also
went to Bournemouth to visit with
Mike Herridge, the weather was very good and Noel ended up staying for the
week
to enjoy the sea air. Noel started playing golf in the Bahamas and was
left handed. He eventually attended a special
golf tuition week at the South
Ocean Beach Golf Club being hosted by Bob Toski, who at that time was one of
the
best teachers in America. Noel went on to become a very good player. As
a fourball partner with Peter Martin he was known
as a "Sultan of Swing",
the name taken from a popular song of the time. Their were many happy days
spent
on the golf courses of the Bahamas as all the Playboy golfers know,
and I am very pleased I was able to play a few more
rounds with "The
Sultan". Some years ago John Barton, myself and Mike Herridge discussed the
possibility
of a playboy golf reunion in the Bahamas, it would seem to be a
nice idea to have that reunion and create a competition
named after Noel, of
course that is easier said than done but if their was enough support for
the idea from
golfers, family and friends then it could happen, the more
people that participate the better the overall cost. Perhaps
we could start
with a" THINK TANK" to see if its a viable project and perhaps if theirs
anyone currently
working in the Travel business they could have valuable
input. Ex Playboy people still living in Nassau may have some
valuable ideas
as well. The target date would be MAY 07.
Best Wishes to everyone, look forward to your thoughts.
Come on England, have a good Summer!
Clive Howard
