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JOHN (SHINER) WRIGHT On the 18th of May 2010, John Zopara Leo Wright RVM lost his fight with cancer.  It was a battle he fought well, but unfortunately it was one he just couldn’t win. John, better known to all as “Shiner”, served forty years in the Royal Marines.  Nineteen of these were as a musician aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, work he loved, and for which he was decorated with the Royal Victoria Medal by Her Majesty the Queen. When Shiner retired, he chose to live in Spain, in the town of Campello, near Alicante where he had friends and this was where he met Betty.  During the years he and Betty spent together, they lived and enjoyed life to the full. Unfortunately, their happy life together was interrupted, when Shiner was diagnosed with cancer.
On Saturday 22nd May, Shiner and Betty’s family and friends gathered together for the celebration of his life, with a service he had planned himself.  Humble to the end, he didn’t want a military funeral, preferring to follow in his family’s tradition with a simple Salvation Army service.  Major Glad, of the Salvation Army in Exeter, England, flew over especially to conduct the service, and was joined by several other Army members who live in Spain. When Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Grace, Principal Director of Music, Royal Marines, heard of Shiner’s death, he flew over together with a Royal Marine bugler who played “The Last Post”.  They were joined by several other members, past and present, of the Royal Marines and members of the local British Legion. The service went mainly as Shiner himself had planned; he even made sure that everyone left with smiles on their faces, when they heard his final choice of music, “The Laughing Policeman”. Following the service, everyone was invited to one of Shiner’s favourite bars, situated on the seafront of Campello.  There, Betty joined with family and friends, to chat about the good times they had spent together and see a slide show of photos, taken during Shiner’s life, from his early childhood days in Exeter, through his years of service in the Royal Marines and more recently, his happy life here in Spain, a place he loved. Shiner had asked that people not spend money on floral tributes; instead his wish was that they give donations to the MABS Cancer Support Group.  This was his way of thanking the charity and especially their local volunteers, for the support that he and Betty had been given during his illness and which she is continuing to receive. The amount raised to date is 1,000€, money which will help MABS to continue with the wonderful work they do, supporting those living with cancer, their families and carers.  He also requested that his new trombone be sold, adding more money to the charities funds. Thanks to this, even though Shiner is no longer with us, he will continue to help others.

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Registered charity no. 7261. NIE: G53448866. Registered Office: Mabs Cancer Support Group, 45 Cansalades Park 03739 Javea, Alicante.