Express & Star

Love and laughs at Tommy Mundon's farewell

"He could make you loff at the drop of a hat" – as close friend Mel Thomas spoke at Tommy Mundon's remembrance service yesterday, more than 500 friends and well-wishers had a giggle.

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Mr Thomas said of the original Black Country comedian: "I will always remember the first joke I heard Tommy tell.

"He said 'looking at me, you wouldn't think I was an ugly child'."

Tommy Mundon

Hasbury Methodist Church in Halesowen was full to bursting as those who knew him said goodbye to Thomas 'Tommy' Mundon.

The 80-year-old died in July, four months after celebrating his birthday, at Mary Stevens Hospice following a five-year battle with Parkinson's Disease.

He was cremated in a private ceremony at Stourbridge Crematorium, before his family joined all those wanting to pay their respects at the church in Halesowen.

Of course his remembrance service elicited laughs, but it was also poignant and moving, particularly for those who were closest to the comedic legend.

Before the service his widow Val, aged 62, said: "To most people he was someone who stood up on the stage being funny. But to us he was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather.

Widow Val Mundon with two of their grandchildren, Daniel and Lucy.

"It was something quite special to be married to a guy like Tom. He was a bit out of the ordinary and a bit unique.

"He was always very witty. I could never outwit him because in an instant he would have a quip and I'd think 'how could you think up these things so quickly?'

"Tom was always very modest but he did love performing right from when he was a little tot."

But Tommy was forced to quit the comedy scene in 2012 as Parkinson's took hold – something he was very reluctant to do. Famously, after being diagnosed with the disease, he was still cracking jokes, saying: "I'm now a stand-up comedian who can't stand up for long."

Val added: "I think when he had to stop in recent years it was a big blow to him but he was very poorly. He was always a larger than life character. I met him in 1970 at a show, where he wasn't actually performing, at a club in Wordsley.

"He was not actually booked to perform but they sort of said 'come on up' and he went on stage.

"Tom was very kind and was quite shy really, because bear in mind, when I met him he was 36 and still lived with his parents. I just thought he was quite sweet really. We had some wonderful times together."

Flowers are brought to the memorial service.

Tommy was well-loved, for his antics both on and off the stage. During the service, Mr Thomas recalled a moment several years ago while being laid up in Russells Hall Hospital, Tommy went to visit him.

"Although he had come to see me," he said, "every patient was a target.

"One of the patients after said to me that his visit was more therapeutic than a trolley-load of medication."

He added: "Tommy wasn't just a legend, he was a very caring human being. He was a very proud family man, loyal and devoted to Val, a loving father and a caring grandfather.

"And Tommy loved his larger family, the general public."

Tommy was well-known not just in his beloved Black Country, but also across the rest of the nation, and his name adorns the Comedy Carpet artwork in Blackpool alongside such greats as Tommy Cooper and Morecambe and Wise.

Following his death Ken Dodd, who was a close friend of Tommy's for more than 20 years, said: "He was a wonderful friend and a wonderful comedian. And he was more than a comedian, he was a humorist, he knew all the Black Country stories.

"He loved to laugh, and he always had some great original stories.

"I admired him hugely."

Hasbury Methodist Church was packed out for the service.

Tommy spent some of his last days in Stourbridge's Mary Stevens Hospice where he attended day therapy sessions, and some of his remembrance service was dedicated to those who looked after him there.

At one stage he had to turn down the opportunity to go to a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace as he was so ill, so instead staff at the hospice decided to put on their own garden party in his honour.

Mr Thomas suggested that perhaps Tommy would have enjoyed that more.

Val added: "It was very comforting that he was at Mary Stevens Hospice and he loved going there and the people. He went to the day centre and it was a big comfort to know they looked after him.

"It is comforting to have had so many cards and letters from people who have said some wonderful things about him. It is a big loss to the family. It is a tough one and I'm doing my best."

Among those in the crowd at the service were Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, who features in his biography a photograph of Tommy and himself from his 60th birthday party, and fellow Black Country entertainer Bev Pegg. Mr Pegg has appeared with Tommy numerous times on the local comedy scene, first performing on the same bill as him at the Regis Hall in Old Hill in November 1964. He says his father gave him his first professional gigs.

Fellow comedian Bev Pegg arrives.

He said: "By time he was eight Tom was already doing shows with his mates in the entry to his house with a curtain pulled across.

"I recall Tom saying they collected a few pence for these shows from locals, which they gave to the Soldiers' Fund.

"I remember dad always saying he had this young chap who had done a few gigs and was going to be good one day.

"I've done lots of gigs with Tom over the years, and several times I've stood at the side of the stage watching him perform. I used to say to myself that I'm watching history.

"I did some DVD copies of Tom at various gigs, he had stopped doing gigs at that time. He said to me that if there was anything there that I wanted to use, do so. To me, that is the greatest gift he could give me.

"When we're all gone they will be writing about Tom in 100 years' time, stating that he was the greatest Black Country comedian ever."

See also:

King of Black Country comedy Tommy Mundon dies

Tributes to King of Black Country comedy, Tommy Mundon

Tommy Mundon in message to fans over disease

Tommy Mundon in Parkinson's battle

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