"He had an incredibly incisive mind"

Tuesday 06 August 2024

A "tireless" campaigner for the new hospital project and stalwart of Jersey's veteran community has been remembered as a “wonderfully warm and well-rounded person” with an "incisive mind".

Brigadier Bruce Willing CBE passed away on Saturday after a recent fall, from which he did not fully recover.

Serving as a Brigadier in the Royal Hampshire Regiment, he spent his retirement playing an active part in the veterans community and campaigning for the construction of a new Hospital, taking over as Chair of Friends of Our New Hospital from the group's founder, Sir Nigel Broomfield.

"He really was a tireless campaigner"

Pictured: Mr Willing was remembered as a "true gentleman".

Mr Willing's friend and fellow health campaigner Jean Lelliot, writing on social media, said: "Bruce fought tirelessly for our new hospital and health service and I have to say that, when I was part of the Friends of our New Hospital, I was always amazed at the amount of work Bruce put into research and writing reports and opinion pieces. He really was a tireless campaigner and my admiration for him is immense."

She added: "Bruce Willing was a true gentleman and I shall forever be grateful for his guidance and friendship. The island has lost a very treasured son."

He leaves behind his wife, Christine, children and grandchildren.

Peter Funk, who took over from Mr Willing as Chair of Friends of Our New Hospital in 2017, said that he remained a member of the campaign group up until his death.

"A very sharp mind"

"He was very humorous," Mr Funk said, "He was a wonderfully warm and well-rounded person with a very sharp mind. His military backgorund gave him great insight to organisations and how they worked and steps that could be taken to improve things."

Pictured: Mr Funk paid tribute to his fellow member of the Friends of Our New Hospital group.

"He had an incredibly incisive mind," Mr Funk continued. "He could analyse a concern, be that in the form of data or writing or presentation, and he could summarise it very quickly, and he was 99% of the time absolutely correct in his conclusion."

Mr Funk further said the late Mr Willing was a "great pleasure" to work with and "got on very well with members of our group, and particularly with outside people involved in our review of the new Hospital project", including States Members, officers, Chief Ministers and other ministers.

"He was an all-around, very solid, extremely enjoyable person to be around," he said.

Jersey Deanery also paid tribute to Mr Willing, who was a member of Gouray Church, former secretary to the standing committee and lay member of the Deanery Synod.

"An outstanding soldier, people person, and friend"

And a statement from the Jersey Joint Services Veterans Association, posted on social media, read: "For those who knew Bruce, he and his wife Christine were great stalwarts of the local Veteran Community with their work with the RBL, SSAFA and Royal Hampshire Regimental Association and Minden Club (Jersey), the JJSVA wishing to pass on our condolences to Christine and family at this very sad time."

Dene Cassin, a veteran and friend of Bruce, said it was a "sad day for the Regiment".

"They were great stalwarts within the local veteran community," he added, saying that Mr Willing "took the salute" at the Annual Minden Day Parade and Colin Clifford's memorial parade.

"To me, he wasn't just an outstanding soldier, he was a people person and a friend, and he cared very much for the veteran community, his regiment and his family."

Bailiwick Express is saddened by the loss of Brigadier Bruce Willing, who was a much-appreciated commentator and contributor to our health coverage, and sends its heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.