Warm tributes paid to Lewis-Crosby at memorial service

A WARM tribute was paid by former Church of Ireland primate Archbishop Lord Robin Eames to the memory of former deputy governor of the Bank of Ireland and Irish Times Trust member Robin Lewis-Crosby at a special memorial service in Dublin at the weekend.

Mr Lewis-Crosby (93) , who was one-time president of the RDS, a lay member of the Church of Ireland and lay canon of St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, died on July 28th last.

At the service in Christ Church Cathedral Lord Eames recalled how in February 1979 a report was presented to the church titled First of All. "It was the result of the deliberations of a joint group of senior clergy and laity on what they considered were the priorities for our church. The report began with these words: 'The first priority of the Church of Ireland is spiritual - not material . . . The history of our church is an inspiration, not a burden','' he said.

He continued: "I cannot think of a more appropriate way to begin this short tribute to the late Robin Lewis-Crosby . . . With all his professional experience in the world of commerce he still had no doubt as to the priority of the spiritual, not alone in the church he loved and served, but in his everyday life.

"His church represented for him an inspiration - not a mundane duty or burden. Such beliefs hold the key to one of the most significant lay leaders of the Church of Ireland of this generation."

He recalled that the late canon "cared about the Church of Ireland, he cared about its clergy, but most of all, Robin cared about the things of God. He was one of those people who never 'carried his faith on his sleeve'. In conversation his sense of humanity and humour shone through."

He concluded: "We thank God for a wonderful human being who made such a contribution to all our lives."