Laurie Mumford Obituary, Romford Hockey Club Mourns Laurie Mumford
Laurie Mumford Obituary, Death Cause – It is with a heavy heart and a lot of grief that I have to let you know that Laurie Mumford has passed away. She was 92 years old when she passed away on May 22nd, 2023. On Saturday, May 20th, 2023, Laurie was experiencing pain, and she was admitted to the hospital the following day. Sadly, Laurie passed away the next evening in the early hours of Monday evening. When Laurie joined Romford Hockey Club in 1959, it was in response to a request from his late employer, Eric Dodkins, asking him to fill in for a few of games. Since then, Laurie has become a legendary figure at the club.
On Saturday, October 25, 2014, at the age of 83, he played his final game, bringing to a close a playing career that had spanned 55 years. The adversary on that particular day was an East London team that was captained by Roger Lillystone, who was a native of Romford. When Romford triumphed by a score of 1-0, it was a fitting way for Laurie to round up his playing career. Laurie held a variety of responsibilities at the Romford Hockey Club throughout the course of his 64 years there, including those of President, Treasurer, Captain, and Main Club representative.
After hanging up his cleats, he continued to serve as President of the organization, which was a prestigious title that had been bestowed upon him in 1994 and which he had maintained for the previous 29 years. He also continued to serve as the Treasurer of the Romford Hockey Club, despite his steadfast refusal to adapt to changing times and his steadfast adherence to the use of pen and paper. On the field, he had a reputation for being easygoing and kind, but behind the scenes as Treasurer, he was a guy to be dreaded. If you owed the club money, he would pursue you to collect it.
He continued to be an ardent supporter of the squad right up until the end of the 2023 season, regularly attending games on Saturdays and then heading into the locker room for a half of a bitter shandy before leaving. At the annual general meeting in 2023, Laurie Mumford received the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romford Hockey Club in recognition of his contributions to the organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Audrey, their children Judith and Paul, and their respective families during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed by everyone. The funeral services are still in the process of being finalized, however a provisional date has been set at the Bentley Crematorium.
