TRIBUTES paid to Dave Hayward, a beloved table-tennis player, country & western fan and father, who suffered a heart attack while playing for Frampton TTC and passed away on Monday.

Dave Hayward, 79, is well known on the table tennis scene as a player for both Frampton and Berkeley, he was much-loved by all who knew him.

After collapsing in a table tennis match versus Forest Green on Thursday, November 17, players from both teams assisted in CPR efforts before paramedics rushed him to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

He was transferred to Bristol Royal Infirmary where he passed away on Monday, November 21.

His daughter Cheryl, 58, said: “He’ll be greatly missed, everything he did, he did wholeheartedly.

“He would always treat people the way they wanted to be treated, and loved to pass on his passions to everyone.

Painter and decorator by trade, Dave was a perfectionist and was often assisted at work by his loving partner of thirty years, Muriel.

“He was always the first on the dancefloor and used to say ‘life’s for living’.

“He instilled some of his perfectionist qualities in me, hopefully I’ve inherited his sense of humour,” said Cheryl

Frampton’s D-team captain and close friend of Dave, Peter Seville, 72 from Leonard Stanley, said: “He’ll be sadly missed, he had a fighting spirit and was very competitive, but always had a laugh and a joke.

Dave was one of five siblings in a formidable and fun-loving family, brothers Frankie and Andrew and sisters Sonja and Dawn.

Born in Paddington, Dave spent much of his life in Buckinghamshire before moving to South Woodchester, Gloucestershire in 1970 and onwards to Stonehouse in the 1990s.

Dave’s second passion was country and western, he attended Tony Dean’s country and western nights at Charfield Sports and Social Club for over 20 years.

Tony, 83 from Paganhill, said: “It was a great shock for us all when we heard he had passed away.

“He was a good friend who really loved his dancing.

“The hard work was always worth it when people like Dave and Muriel came along.”

Dave was a founding member of the table tennis club in Forest Green and renovated the chapel near Nailsworth that the club call home.

He channelled his passions into the development of their youth team, which are now some of Frampton’s finest players, including A-team captain Steve Porter, who fondly remembers playing his first table tennis under Dave’s tuition.

Dave had a triple heart bypass eight years ago and was eventually given the all clear, he dedicated himself to a life of healthy living and lots of exercise and saw illness as nothing more than a state of mind.

The funeral is at Gloucester Crematorium on Monday, December 5 at 12.30pm before heading to Stonehouse Court

The dress code is casual/bright as a celebration of Dave's life.

Donations are being raised in his memory for Frampton Table Tennis Club.