Obituary for Michael Dally 1934-2022
Michael Dally, who has passed away at the age of 88, had a lifelong association with Evington village.
Born in 1934 to Welsh parents Bill and Rose, Michael grew up in Main Street, opposite The Cedars, briefly at Number 12 before the family home was established at Number 20. He attended the village school and enjoyed his wartime childhood which provided vivid memories that stayed with him throughout his life. Michael witnessed the tragic 1941 air crash at Evington when an RAF Hampden bomber crashed with the loss of the crew and a village bystander. This video made with help from pupils at Mayflower Primary School illustrates the story. https://vimeo.com/225210254
Michael was also singing in the St Denys Church choir on the occasion of the special service held in August 1944 when the US 82nd Airborne Division, who were stationed in the village, presented their battle flag to the church. 75 years later Michael was thrilled to attend the celebrations that marked the anniversary of the service in 2019. He could also recall the final days of the Horse and Jockey pub which stood where the row of shops stand today opposite the Chapel, as well as the early days of The Cedars as a public house.
Michael’s parents were popular and active members of the village community. Rose was a member of the WI for many years, and Bill served as a sidesman at St Denys Church and was caretaker at the village hall. They were also keen members of the Evington Bowls Club where Bill served as President.
After leaving Evington School Michael attended Moat Boys School where he passed his School Certificate and went on to study at Brooksby Agricultural College. This led to work on local farms including the Co-Op owned farm based at the site of the Cow and Plough on Gartree Road. Michael’s career took a different direction when he was called up for National Service with the Leicestershire Regiment. He spent much of his army career stationed in Germany and reached the rank of Lance Corporal.
Shortly after leaving the army Michael met the love of his life, Pamela Cox, when they both worked at Faire Brothers in Leicester. They married in 1958 and after a short time living in St Stephens Road in North Evington, they made a family home in St Denys Road. There they raised their first two children, daughter Joanne, and son Andrew. Michael settled into a successful career in sales at Wadkin Limited on Green Lane Road. In 1973 the family moved out of the village settling in St Swithin’s Road off the Uppingham Road, where they welcomed their third child, daughter Lisa.
Michael’s parents continued to live at number 20 Main Street until Rose passed away in 1980 and Bill in 1982.
Michael was a keen fan of Leicester Tigers and had a season ticket for many years. He also had a lifelong love of wildlife, the countryside and rural life. Listening to Jazz music was a great pleasure, and he loved comedy, particularly The Goons and Spike Milligan. Michael’s work life took him on many overseas trips including visits to India which he remembered fondly.
Michael and Pamela spent their early retirement years in Houghton on the Hill before returning to Evington in 2014 when they moved into Hawthorne Court on Hawthorne Drive. The return rekindled Michael’s interest in the history of the village, and he became a keen and active member of the History Society. He occasionally gave talks and led walks in the village where his memories of village life in the 1930s and 1940s were much appreciated. Despite his increasing frailty Michael loved to revisit old haunts in the village on foot, always happy to walk in the park and arboretum, and visit the church and Piggy’s Hollow.
Michael’s last years were a challenge as he coped with physical frailty and dementia, but he never lost his keen interest in history, and sharing his boyhood memories of the village were a great comfort and consolation to him and the rest of the family.
Michael passed away in hospital in Sheffield on November 24th 2022. He is survived by Pamela, and their three children Joanne, Andrew and Lisa.
Andrew Dally
