Friends mourn loss of Bill Twigg: 'a thorough gentleman'

The victim of the fatal crash near Copmanhurst on New Year's Day has been named, with close friends and family mourning a "thorough gentlemen"

SORELY MISSED: Bill Twigg (centre) surrounded by close friends. Mr Twigg died in a car crash on New Year's Day. Picture: Ballard Photography

FOR those close to William "Bill" Twigg, they didn't just consider him a friend, they regarded him as family.

The family and friends of Bill are now in mourning after the death of the 75-year-old, who was involved in a fatal single-vehicle crash on Clarence Way outside Copmanhurst on New Year's Day.

Ron Galway knew Bill for 65 years, and regarded him as a brother.

"He lived opposite me in Sydney and Bill was a real nice fella, the nicest bloke you could meet," Mr Galway said.

"I classed him not as a friend but a brother, because he was very good to me. I used to come over from Glen Innes and stay with him. He was a thorough gentleman."

Close friend Geoffrey Bowyer said he always knew Bill as "Uncle Bill".

"He isn't actually my uncle, he is my godfather, but he is closer to family than anyone else other than my parents," he said.

"We grew up in Sydney and when I finished school we moved up to Copmanhurst and Bill and his wife and my father and mother were the best of mates, and they couldn't handle it once they moved away from them, they lasted about two years before they sold their house down there and moved to Copmanhurst as well."

Geoffrey said one of Bill's great loves was playing card games.

"Every Friday night from 7pm, every single weekend until 6am Monday morning was cards, 24 hours a day, it was people coming in and out playing cards, joking, mucking around," he said.

"There'd be all sorts of games from poker, canasta, whatever. It was just a gathering that they all enjoyed. No-one was a big drinker, it was all cups of tea, and there were jokes going over the table and everyone having a good time and a great weekend."

When Geoffrey's father passed away in 2007, Bill was there to help Geoffrey's mother in any way he could.

"He was the family, and as far as he and his family were concerned and as far we were concerned, he was family, we were that close," Geoffrey said.

"He would bend over backwards for you, if you needed something or needed to go somewhere, he'd be the first one to lend a hand. He would drop everything to help."

Geoffrey's daughter Lisa said Bill enjoyed visiting their home for home-made rissoles, and that she would miss playing cards with Bill.

In a message on Facebook, Bill's grandchildren and great-grandchildren said they had another angel looking over them, that he would be so very missed and they loved you with all their heart.

Originally published as Friends mourn loss of Bill Twigg: 'a thorough gentleman'