Keith Frampton, truly the kindest and most caring person we have ever known and the epitome of a true gentleman.
Keith was a lot of things to many different people, the list feels endless. He was a thoughtful and loyal husband to Caroline, who shared his life for over 37 years.
He was a devoted father to Emily, Lucy, Chris, Daniel, and Nick, and also became a father to Louise, Chris’s wife who he adored and looked upon as a daughter of his own. He went out of his way to ensure we could have everything we could ever want in life.
He was an affectionate and proud grandfather to Lani, Isabella, Livia, and Freddie. It was clear to everyone the overwhelming love and adoration he had for each of them. He never turned down an opportunity to spend time with them, and would always spoil them rotten.
He was an uncle to Stuart, Emma, and Robin who he doted on as if they were his children.
He was a proofreader whenever there was an assignment or job application that needed reading. He was an insurance specialist, a manager, an entrepreneur, a CEO, a mentor, and a consultant. Not just in his formal job role, but to anyone, anytime they needed advice.
He was a best friend, a brother, someone you could call when you had a problem or a flat battery or you’d just ran out of petrol. He’d always come running to the rescue and proved his generosity to us all multiple times over the years. Anytime his daughters needed a lift anywhere, he was the taxi, to the extent where he even earned the nickname ‘Roy’s Taxis’.
His school report from July 1970 describes him as a loyal and sincere boy with a first-class character, who has achieved his good standard through hard work and determination. Even though this was written over 50 years ago we think this provides a perfect insight into Keith's personality.
Keith shared his life with so many people, including Linda, his first wife, with whom he shared not only 11 years, but also 3 sons: Chris, Daniel, and Nick. Even after they parted ways, Keith and Linda always remained friends, which we think is a testament to his gentle and warmhearted nature. Keith would always share the countless stories of the holidays and Christmases all spent together at his parent's farm where he would arrange treasure hunts and make up bedtime stories about all the children.
Keith met Caroline in Holland after he trod on Caro line's foot in a wine bar, they started talking and 3 years later they were married. Over the next 37 years, they acquired 2 daughters and 6 dogs (Poppy, Daisy, Ozzy, Luna, Oreo, and Echo). They shared a mutual love of traveling and whilst living in Germany they would spend almost every weekend visiting various places around Europe. One of their favourite places to visit was Cochem, a small town in Germany where they would always eat ice cream next to the river, even if this was in the middle of winter in the snow. His care and devotion to his family and his marriage were unparalleled. When Caroline was ever unwell or injured, he looked after her without hesitation or complaint. Their marriage shows two people who were best friends and bound by their devotion to their children and in the end a ridiculous amount of dogs...
Anyone who spoke to my dad would soon realise he was as committed to his work as he was to his family. Throughout his career, he travelled extensively and even lived in Germany in the 1980s. We were always fascinated by the stories he shared with us about frequently liaising with East German Police and Russian soldiers that were positioned alongside the infamous Berlin Wall. It is clear from the numerous people in Keith's field who have reached out to our family, as to how well-respected he was within his industry. A friend of his recently told me “I cannot think of anyone else who has accomplished so much for the better in this area and he did it with his passion and enthusiasm". To him all of this wasn’t work, it was his passion. He was dedicated to making insurance more accessible and affordable to those fighting for our country.
Keith may have retired, but he never slowed down. Even in recent years, he was quite the rebellious footballer, often breaking the rules, by running when playing for the local walking football team. Of course, he had a lot of practice walking from the many, many dog walks he got dragged on. Ridiculously the man who said he didn’t want to get a dog was a puppy parent to 6 dogs! Most dads don’t allow their children to get 1 dog, let alone 2, and then eventually 6. Having said that, he fell in love with every one of them individually. Especially Oreo, our Old English Sheepdog, who stayed with us for just over a year but remained with dad in his heart forever.
We all knew what a truly kind and genuine gentleman Keith was, but the extraordinary amount of people who were just a small part of his life that have felt the need to reach out to us and tell us how much they respected him, made us realise that he wasn’t just a truly lovely man to those he loved but would have the time of day for anyone no matter their relation.
Thank you for everything.
By Emily and Lucy Frampton