Standing here today is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do but I know dad would have been very proud of me. He spent all my life encouraging me to do the hard things, the challenging things, the brave things, the things that would make me stronger and never to shy away from doing what was right. You may recognise that saying " do what is right' because he always tried to live by that rule and it dictated his life choices.

In his final days he spent with me in my home the TV was a regular companion as it always had been to him. He watched old cowboy movies where the hero was clear and obvious and stood up for the down trodden, was a steadfast friend and always did the right thing. I think that's also how he lived his life in many ways - By the rules from those old movies.

Many of you will have heard him say that he was an engineer and had an engineers mind. That meant all his life he was inventing and looking for new ways to do things and fixing things for himself and others. As a child I knew just how much my daddy could fix anything - apparently when my nana dropped an egg and was by most upset I said "don't worry nana daddy can fix it". He made so many things from scratch - the garden was an adventure playground with things he made for me, my trampoline, a 2 story Wendy house and def slide. He loved to use his creations to save money and one of his favourite things on a bright sunny day was a neck deep hot bath that was free from the sun panels. Even to his last days he was fixing things and solving problems - he had me tie a piece of string onto the tv remote control so he wouldn't keep losing it when he was in bed. I worried he would get it wrapped round his neck in bed - he gave me the look.

He had many idiosyncrasies and on a trip in the Canadian canoe he built my husband Mathew got to experience one of those. After rising the rapids down the river ribble together they stopped half way down and pulled out a little chilly. Dad handed Matt a cup of tomato soup and to matts shock it looked and tasted a little weird. "What have you done to that Bruce?"... "It's tomato soup with milk in it lad! "

As well as being my dad he had many different lives and life experiences and his adventurous spirit and love of North America drove him always to want to return. His apprenticeship at Leyland motors gave him the opportunity to emigrate to Montreal and onto San Francisco in the 60's. I was always fascinated and found it hard to imagine that my parents at such a young age set off across the ocean to start a new life.

He really loved his time spent in Calgary with his Canadian friends and the 15 years spent travelling around California and America with Enid were some of his happiest. The friends he met on his trip down the Grand Canyon in 1984 became lifelong friends and he was always the Leaping Limey to them.

He loved to share his adventures and meet up with his friends to "really talk" - that meant intense debate with facts and detail and using the huge amount of information that he held in his head. I'm sure you've all been party to some of those debates - usually he was right in an annoying kind of way.

He was most sad that he wouldn't be able to take his grandsons - Ben and Evan to those places he loved the best. He wanted me to tell them about him and he spent the last few trips away with The Bear taking pictures for Ben and Evan to be placed in a pocket in its bum. I'll make sure they know you dad and see those places. You'll be glad to know that The Grandad Walmsley Memorial trail is going to be created with a little piece of you in those special places for them to visit, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, San Francisco and along Big Sur. We'll visit all the time and they will love them just like you did.

I have been contacted since his death my so many friends and his friendship was something they all cherish and miss - he was many things my dad but I thing the thing he was the most was a good friend. I'm sure many of you have had a few good turns from him and your presence here is a great tribute to his hard work, commitment to doing the right thing for us all and being him.

This morning broke with perfect clear blue skies that would have inspired dad to get in the car and drive. If he was here today we'd be off yo the lakes or driving round his favourite places in north wales. In my sadness I hold one thought in my mind that I hope will help you all today. He's not really gone he's just in another place doing what he loved best - driving on the open roads, under perfect blue skies loving his England, this green and pleasant land, or his California and commenting to Ben and Evan in the video camera. He'll be knocking on your door any time for a cup of tea - in a pint cup of course.

I've heard him say this many many times as he left somewhere so I think it's the best thing for me to end on - .... I love you and miss you so very much but it's time for your next journey - so Dad "take your last look at sunshine and brook and send your regrets to the czar......"