Topic: Today
From:
Mum, posted 5/3/2016 8:15 PM

Today your sister and I spent a few precious hours together we spoke of the good life you had and how meeting your Jules made your life complete it was as if you were there love you son ❤️

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Topic: 24/11/2015
From:
Carole, posted 24/11/2015 8:15 PM

Like many, I miss you tons Ian. After meeting John and you at the ‘Star Trek’ Cons, and then y’all sticking by me when I took my stroke and had the major heart op, meant the world. I am delighted that I shared your wedding day, together with some good folk. I have such great memories filled with fun and laughter. We all knew your time would come, but you were a true star. Shine on. Love Carole x


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Topic: 13/9/14
From:
Mand, posted 16/09/14 6:27 PM

9 years on, it still hurts so much. Another birthday not celebrated,but I hope this makes you smile Sarah gave birth to her first son Arthur,Ian Smith on Saturday 13th September 2014 at 05.11. Through her labour she talked about the “amazing darth maul” bag you brought her and how she was the envy of her friends. She said how much she thinks you would have liked her partner Tom, he’s into all the same things has you were, even keeps his figures in boxes!! Then she asked if I would mind if she named her son after you? Mind?? It made me feel so happy to think that you are remembered in a new life. Love u 2 bags,happy 46th x x x

From:
Julie, posted 16/09/14 8:26 PM

Mandy, thank you for writing about baby Arthur. I’m thrilled for Sarah and Tom and that Ian is remembered in his name.
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Topic: Ians 46th birthday
From:
MUM AND DAD, posted 16/09/14 11:51 AM

UNBELIEVABLE SON 46 TODAY ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR PASSING LITTLE ARTHUR CAME INTO THE WORLD AND SARAH AND TOM HAVE INCLUDED YOUR NAME INTO HIS I KNOW YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL IMPRESSED MISS THAT LAUGHTER SMILE AND LOVE SON XX

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Topic: Time
From:
Tim, posted 13/09/14 9:39 PM

“People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint – it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly… time-y wimey… stuff.” which probably explains why 9 years on it can still feel like yesterday. I forget that you never met my children Rebecca and James or our new cats or my TARDIS or our new house or even me learning to drive!! We would have had so much fun discovering new “Granny Cafs (sic)”. There really is not a week that goes by without a memory triggered. You would love that fact people on a double decker bus double take the TARDIS in our garden as they go past our house and I guess you would wet yourself in a fit of laughter that our house has a hot-tub. The sun flowers next to the TARDIS in the garden are in full bloom today – thanks for that. A final (mis)quote from the Doctor “A tear, Tim? No, don’t cry. While there’s life…” there’s…

From:
IAN’S MUM, posted 16/09/14 11:55 AM

SO LOVELY TIM SO TRUE IT DOESN’T GET ANY EASIER BUT MEMORIES DO HELP xx


Julie, posted 16/09/14 8:20 PM

Tim that’s lovely, what you wrote. I had the thought the other day, what if there were no years or months to measure time, my life would be just a progression of days, one after the other. Would it spare me feeling like I do at this time, each year? But that would be wrong, somehow. So the dates coming around once each year is what links us to our memories, like the big ball of timey-wimey stuff. The rest of the year I get on with life, and though I think about Ian often, I can usually smile at the happy memories. But September comes around and there’s this sadness that I can’t shake. It’s hard. My remedy is still having lots to look forward to. It was really good to see you and Kirsty and Rebecca and James the other day.

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Topic: He’s still there!
From:
Ross Kirk, posted 23/04/13 10:11 AM

There still aren’t many days I don’t think about Ian. We were such good mates when were were at school and our “formative years” afterwards, I regret so much how we drifted apart.Ian had a huge influence on my life, and to paraphrase Star Trek and to quote our encyclopeadic knowledge of the dialogue: “He’s really not dead, as long as we remember him”. How very apt! Miss you mate.

From:
IANS MUM, posted 17/09/13 10:50 AM

SO TRUE ROSS X
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Topic: Nearly that time again
From:
Mandy, posted 1/9/13 11:30 PM

I’ve always loved September,the changes in the season & colours of nature,mine & Ian’s birthdays…but now September also brings a heart ache that doesn’t go away,it just gradually becomes easier to bear.I think of you EVERY day & every day I miss you. When it hurts to much I think of how you’d say 60 seconds of unhappiness is 60 seconds you’ll never get to live again so be happy, It’s been hard lately & I so wish I could pick up the phone like we used to do,but that was then & this is now. You would love it that I’m a mamar & you’d love Renee & Alfie I’m sad you never met them but I tell them about you all the time they think your a star in sky so keep shining bright & I will try to keep smiling….love you two bags x x x

From:
MUM AND DAD, posted 17/9/13 10:48 AM

OUR DAUGHTER – YOU ALWAYS PUT INTO WORDS WHAT WE CANT FIND WORDS FOR. LOVE YOU, MUM AND DAD XX
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Topic: 8 YEARS ON
From:
MUM AND DAD, posted 17/09/13 10:45 AM

OUR SON WE ARE LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU ITS STILL SO HARD XX

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Topic: 7 YEARS ON
From:
IANS MUM, posted 13/9/12 10:18 AM

THE REST OF THE YEAR I CAN GET BY BUT YOUR ANNIVERSARY DAY IS SO HARD IAN X

From:
Julie, posted 13/9/12 8:01 PM

I agree…from the bottom of my heart xxx

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Topic: 6 YEARS
From:
IANS MUM, posted 19/9/11 8:57 AM

STILL COUNTING SON CANT BELIEVE ITS 6 YEARS STILL MISSING YOU SO MUCH THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME JOKES FROM YOU NOW YOU WOULD BE CATCHING UP WITH ME AND DAD AGE WISE I REMEMBER THE WISE CRACKS WHEN WE WERE 40!!!


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Topic: 5 YEARS
From:
IANS MUM, posted 14/9/10 5:18 PM

CANNOT BELIEVE 5 YEARS WHERE HAVE THE YEARS GONE. IT ONLY SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY IAN WOULD COME BOUNCING IN WITH HIS HUGE SMILE!!!

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Topic: Memories of Ian
From:
Debbie, posted 3/3/09 4:39 PM

When I heard that Ian had passed away I was taken aback, although I always remember him saying that he would shuffle off his mortal coil long before the rest of us. It had been some years since I had seen him, probably about 1997, and we didn’t part on the best of terms at that time. However, I have some very good and fond memories of Ian over the years and thought it might be nice to share a few of them with you. We originally made contact as pen pals in 1985. Ian started going out with a good friend of mine, Mandy, whilst I was going out with Ian’s friend Ross. We were all very young and very naive and all got engaged at the same time! Mandy and Ian split not long after, but ross and I were together for about 7 years, and even when we split I remained friends with Ian for another 5 years. I remember Ian making his home movies around Nottingham and in Manchester – running around in black plastic bin bags and setting fire to models of vipers and the starship enterprise! I’ve probably got some of these home movies stashed away somewhere to this day!One memorable night I have was when Ian, myself, ross and one of their mates went out for a drive in his mates car. We drove from about 9pm till about 6am. around about 6am his mate fell asleep at the wheel (we were all already asleep), and the first of it I knew was Ian screaming and trying to get control of the steering wheel. I think all our lives flashed before our eyes as we went careering over the dual carriageway, narrowly missing a concrete bus shelter and ending up down a ditch, with the car on its side. My heart almost packed up with shock that night – it was a wonder that Ian’s didn’t, and I do believe if he hadnt grabbed hold of the steering wheel that night we wouldnt have made it past that bus shelter, and I wouldnt be here today reliving all these memories…..so all my thanks for that Ian!I read Ross’s comments and remember the Jerry Goldsmith concert well – I think we had the highest seats in the concert hall, I remember very well because I was terrified of heights. I remember after the concert hanging around to get Jerry’s autograph. I also remember during the concert trying to make the most outstanding noises we could as the concert was being televised and we wanted to get ourselves heard!Over the years I had a great friendship with Ian – I’ve lost count of the times he would turn up on the doorstep of my house in Manchester unannounced in his reliant robin………it used to scare me to death that he drove that thing! Bless him, but I remember on one occasion he must have turned up around 2am, and rather than wake us up he slept in the car in the freezing cold…By the time I realised he was there it was 7am and his lips were a lovely shade of blue, I was terrified he was going to collapse then and there, so spent the whole day mollycoddling him. We went to lots of conventions together with various groups of friends over the years, and I’ve got quite a lot of video footage at these events, including one where he made me dress up as what I can only describe as a giant ferret wearing a starfleet uniform. It was amazing that he used to be able to talk you into doing these daft things. (Hey Jools, sure I’ve got a picture of you dressed up when you were in your Pingu phase! )My dog Asti used to love Ian(we took her to the conventions with us too), and she would promptly piddle with excitement every time she saw him. Hopefully, they are both together in a good place somewhere still enjoying each others company.Ian, Jools and John were a great comfort to me when I split up with Ross, and they were all there to pick me up, dust me off and end up fixing me up with Mike! We were quite close as a group there for a while. Again, got some fab footage somewhere of johns wedding morning, when all the lads were wandering around in their finest undergarments that morning. When I watch it back it makes me smile as its so typically ian having a laugh, him and Vince taking the mickey out of the tv programmes playing in the background, and that infectious laugh of Ians….still makes me laugh even now.Anyway, enough of my waffle, it’s a shame there isnt anywhere to post pictures on this site, otherwise I would have attached a few….I have so many memories of him I could probably go on all day. However, just thought I’d drop by to remember Ian; even though all these years have gone by I can still picture him in my mind as if 10 years ago was yesterday.All my best wishes go to Ian’s family, and if you ever want to have a chat please feel free to get in contact with me. Debbie x

From:
Mandy, posted 23/8/09 7:11 PM

Hi Deb. lovely to read all your memories.I’ve attached a link to a web site that you can post pictures onto, if you would like to. If you do have any footage of Ian, I would to see some has you know he was generaly behind a camera, so we have very little footage of him!!!Thanks, Mandy, (Ians sister) http://http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/towle/2633453

IANS MUM, posted 26/8/09 12:13 AM

HI DEBS I TOO WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR PICS OF IAN AND VIDEOS IF POSSIBLE THANKS FOR YOUR MEMORIES OF IAN I STILL LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT HIM EVERY DAY


Julie, posted 12/9/09 4:33 PM
Hi Debbie,This is lovely to read all your memories. I have only just found this, I am supposed to get emails when anyone posts but for some reason it doesn’t seem to be working. I can’t believe it is four years. Where does the time go? xxx

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Topic:
IANS 4TH ANNIVERSARY SINCE HE LEFT US
From:
IANS MUM, posted 26/8/09 12:22 AM

STILL MISSING YOUR LAUGH AND LOVE OF LIFE BUT PROUD OF HOW YOU BRAVELY GRABBED LIFE AND LIVED IT!! EVERY SECOND


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Topic: Ian, Me and Jerry
From:
Ross Kirk, posted 26/11/08 3:57 PM

Ian and I were very “sad individuals” when we were at school. Neither of us really did sports. Ian, because he couldn’t (which was fair enough). I, on the other hand, was a really lazy good for nothing and tried to skive out of it as much as possible. I think it was from that we became good mates. I remember us chatting about how much we liked movie music and my Dad mentioned a chap called Jerry Goldsmith. That’s how it all started! I still remember the ridiculous number of soundtracks Ian amassed, and also us borrowing the soundrack to Star Trek II from the local library and listening to it all day. That started the James Horner thing! When we left school and I moved to Manchester Ian and I would send tapes to each other, with silly home made skits on them, rambles about this and that and, of course plenty of James Horner and Jerry Goldsmith. I do also remember us going to see Jerry and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican. What a trip! As I write this, I realise that we were close for a long time (probably over ten years) but we drifted apart when Debbie (my girlfriend at the time) and I split up. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve been back in the UK (I lived in Ireland for a long time) that I’ve tried to find Ian on the internet and only today I’ve discovered this very sad news. I think I will put on one of his old tapes and remember the great fun we had together. My love to his memory, and all who knew him.

From:
IANS MUM, posted 3/12/08 11:32 AM

EVERY TIME SOMEONE LEAVES A MESSAGE WE STILL LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT OUR SON THANKS ROSS

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Topic: IANS 40TH
From:
IANS MUM, posted 16/9/08 10:07 AM

TO-DAY IAN WOULD HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING HIS 40TH BIRTHDAY.HE WAS 19 WHEN I WAS 40 AND ALL HIS QUIPS TO ME ABOUT BEING AN OLD LADY NOW COME FLOODING BACK. HOW I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO RETURN HIS QUIPS TO-DAY!

From:
Carole posted 20/9/08 6:13 AM

Jeez, Gloria, 40 is NOT OLD at all is it – that was sooo Ian!! Haha!! I’m 44 this week, he’d have probably called me ‘an old bugger’, well maybe not now!!!!!!

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Topic: 40th
From:
Mandy, posted 16/9/08 6:29 PM

Happy 40th Bro…Wish u were here…love ALWAYS xxxxxxxxx

From:
IANS MUM, posted 19/9/08 2:47 PM

HI DAUGHTER IAN WOULD BE SO PLEASED YOU ARE HERE LOVE YOU XXXXXXXXXXX
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Topic: 3 YEARS ON
From:
IANS MUM, posted 14/9/08 5:11 PM

JULIE, MANDY, IAN’S DAD AND MYSELF WENT UP TO THE TYTHE YESTERDAY TO TAKE FLOWERS FOR IAN ON THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH. IT WAS A LOVELY FAMILY TIME. JULIE HAD BOUGHT WITH HER A PICTURE SHE HAD RECENTLY FOUND OF IAN WHEN THEY VISITED AUSTRIA AT THE EAGLE’S NEST. IT WAS IAN IN ONE OF HIS THINKING POSES STROKING HIS CHIN, A LOVELY SNAP OF HIM. JULIE AND MANDY ATTATCHED THE PHOTO TO THE TREE DEDICATED TO HIM, AND IAN WAS LOOKING BACK AT US SMILING FROM THE PHOTO, IT WAS A LOVELY MOMENT!

From:
Kirsty, posted 14/9/08 10:19 PM

Tim and I thought of you all yesterday. We had a few laughs over memories and shed a tear as we still miss him dearly. Love to you all xxx
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Topic: MEG
From:
IANS MUM, posted 21/2/08 1:27 PM

HI JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT SADLY IAN’S DOG MEG PASSED AWAY ON SATURDAY FEB 16 2008. SHE WAS 14 AND WAS ILL FOR A WHILE. NOW I HOPE IAN IS NOT BEING THREATENED WITH EVICTION FROM HEAVEN FOR MAKING HER BARK! I KNOW JULIE WILL MISS HER COMPANIONSHIP GREATLY AS WILL WE ALL.

From:
Julie, posted 1/3/08 2:29 PM

Meg is sadly missed. I hope she is with Ian now. I have created a page in her memory, you can see it at the link below. She was the most beautiful, special little dog I have known, and I will treasure the memories always. I now think looking back, Meg was here to help me get through when we lost Ian, thanks to her I never came home to an empty house and I loved how she greeted me every day. I will always love and remember her.

Julie, posted 1/3/08 2:33 PM
Here is the link for Meg’s page. http://www.planetjools.co.uk/megpages/megpage.html

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Topic: Time flies
From:
Vince, posted 17/9/07 9:51 PM

It’s taken me along time to write here, not because I don’t care or have nothing to say. Quite the opposite in fact.Where to start? Did you know that I almost never met Ian and Julie?It started in 1992 at Star Trek convention, of course. I had come into some money and after a break of a few years decided to start going to cons again. Through a long string of coincidences and a lot of luck I ended up in Manchester a few months later with Ross and Debbie at another con and who’s doing steward duty at the reception? Ian and John.Ross and Debbie introduce me and one thing led to another then before you know it we’re swapping Galactica trivia and the rest as they say is history.It would take a book to tell you about all the good time we’ve had; conventions, trips to Blackpool (everyone knows the Creaky Nest story), toy hunting in obscure shops, autograph hunting via mail, the trip to the States, going down to stay with Ian and Julie; the late nights watching sad old TV shows, talking trivia, playing games and drinking (non alcoholic for Ian, zinfandel for Julie and I).Over the course of the years friendships split, people drifted away and eventually the toll of work, marriage and children thinned the group but the one constant through all of this was Ian.He had an enthusiasm for life unlike any other person I had ever met. Ian was not always easy to get on with; he had very definite views and his own set principals that he would stick to no matter what. But through thick or thin the one person I could always call on night or day to talk my problems through was Ian.As I write this I look around my living room and it’s full of memories; photos of the gang from the conventions, an autograph of that hard to get actress that Ian got for me, DVDs, action figures that he found in some obscure shop, photos of his radio controlled R2D2 and K9. It’s hard to feel sad looking at them because there is so much laughter and sheer love of life in the memories they invoke.As much as I would like to think otherwise it’s inevitable that we all drift apart but please know that all of you will always be in my thoughts and my heart.With Love, Vince.

From:
Julie, posted 18/9/07 9:53 PM

Thank you so much Vince. That has brought back some lovely memories and a tear to my eye, but in a nice way, and of course, a smile too! Indeed, where does the time go?


From:
Ians Mum, posted 19/9/07 11:45 AM

HI VINCE SO LOVELY TO READ YOUR THOUGHTS.YOU REALLY KNEW IAN AND WAS ONE OF HIS AND JULIES FAVOURITE MATES IM SO PLEASED YOU ARE WELL AND WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN IS SO TOUCHING BUT SO HONEST AS IAN HIMSELF WOULD HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT ANYONE ELSE.

From:
Carole Young, posted 26/2/08 11:20 AM
Lovely words, Vince. Great wedding w/e 2, huh???? Mega fun.

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Topic: Me again Ian!!!
From:
Carole Young, posted 13/9/07 6:57 AM

I can’t ever forget your anniversary, as you v v sadly died before my birthday. God bless you, my friend.Thought you’d like to know that I am in the process of getting back into part-time paid work – a ‘come down’ after my glittering legal career, but fab after 100% paralysis etc.I can now walk with a ‘Triwalker’ and can march on the spot WITHOUT HOLDING ON! You were, and continue to be, a true inspiration to me. You always enjoyed my wee poems!!!

From:
Julie, posted 14/9/07 10:33 PM

Carole, YOU are a complete inspiration to ME! How you have coped and continue to do so, and you have really looked out for me these last two years and I do appreciate it, my friend. Lots of love Julie xx

From:
Ians Mum, posted 19/9/07 11:39 AM
HI CAROL GLAD THINGS ARE STARTING TO WORK OUT FOR YOU AT LAST I KNOW IAN WOULD HAVE BEEN “WELL PLEASED” FOR YOU.

From:
Carole Young, posted 26/2/08 11:17 AM
Thanks guys! Means a lot. Ian’s light shines on………
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Topic: Thanks Julie
From:
Ians Mum, posted 13/9/07 9:46 AM

Thank-you my DAUGHTER-IN-LAW for this new page for Ian your courage and strength has been amazing over these last two years and even though our suffering was indescribable you and Mandy have really pulled us all to-gether Lots of Love xxxxxxxx


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Topic: Ians Headstone
From:
Ians Mum, posted 29/8/07 7:55 PM

JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW IANS HEADSTONE HAS BEEN PLACED THE WORDING WAS CHOSEN BY US ALL.I CANT BELIEVE IT IS ALMOST TWO YEARS ON WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE

From:
Carole Young, posted 13/9/07 7:00 AM

I know, it must have been v v difficult 4U all. Sad, but had to be done and I’m sure it’s really fitting.

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Topic: ONE YEAR ON

From:
Ians Mum, posted 11/8/06 12:04 AM

Almost a year since we lost Ian.I cannot believe its passed so quickly.Ian and Julie would have had more tails of travels to tell as Julie would have taken him to any place in the world he would have suggested going to,no doubt Ian would have made Julie laugh with his comments on people and the area they had visited.Julie has been so brave through all this and has become more a daughter to us as I think we have become very close.Ians sister Mandy has struggled on as has her dad and her husband Bill and Ians nephews Kyle Damon and Josh. Ian and Julies dog Meg is at last I hope coming to terms with Ians loss.So to all family and friends our warmest thoughts go to you as we approach our special day, love to you all. xxxxxxxxxxxx

From:
Carole Young, posted 10/1/07 9:08 AM

Ian is not suffering now and I hope his soul flies free. I am sure he still watches over his loved ones………