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The wonder of you

Kate Speedie
20/ 6/2003

TRIBUTES are being paid to larger than life Elvis fan Dave Willoughby who died after a vital liver transplant failed to save him from cystic fibrosis - a debilitating disease that had plagued him his whole life.

The 42-year-old from Chorlton knew he was going to die since early childhood, and together with his wife Nila and all his friends planned a funeral that was more like a celebration party.

Nila Willoughby, said: "I think we did him proud. We used all his favourite music, The Wonder of You by Elvis, Brown-eyed Girl and we finished with a Beatles song. He definitely would have approved, he was a huge Elvis fan."

Dave kept a diary often during his life and the words from it have helped his grieving friends to come to terms with his death. Nila said: "He declined very suddenly over the last couple of years and he said he didn't want to die in a long, slow drawn out way but he knew he wasn't getting any better."

His diary reads: "What happens to your thought processes when you don't expect to live very long? Certain priorities are not important any more - work, career, money, - they are not priorities.

"But how do you justify your life? How do you give meaning to your life? It's an easy answer. You don't have to justify your life or give meaning to it. Just enjoy life as much as your circumstances will let you."

Dave and Nila married on a sunny day in Las Vegas - where else - in 1997 at the end of a few months travelling the world after he decided to give up work and make the most of his life.

Nila said: "It was a wonderful day and everyone loved it. They all still talk about it as one of the best days ever. I was convinced one of his mates would bring a white Elvis suit for him to wear but luckily they didn't."

Dave was a popular regular at various watering holes in Chorlton where his pals have spoken about the man they have known since university and throughout their lives."

Mark Brookfield considered Dave to be a brother and said: "Dave loved life and infected everyone with his own enthusiasm. He was an inspiration to all of us. From an early age he knew his days were numbered. He decided to live life to the full and squeeze every bit of pleasure out of whatever lay ahead. Dave would never allow his condition to be an issue. He never wanted sympathy and hated any kind of maudlin thoughts."

As well as enjoying a drink, and living by the motto that there was no point going out for just one pint, Dave was a dedicated fan of his home football team, Burnley FC.

Mark said: "Never had one man been on a bigger mission to promote the merits of Burnley FC to anyone who would listen to him and even those who wouldn't. Wherever he went, Dave wore Burnley as a badge of honour."