The sad news was passed on by David Berwick on 21 October 2010:
‘It was with great sadness and some shock that late on Monday 19th October I came by the news that one of my former colleagues, Mike Yemm, had passed away on 4th October and that his funeral service was the very next day. Fortunately, I was able to attend at that short notice and I include the cover page of the order of service. Mike’s wife said he had been very ill recently and she just had no time to search out Mike’s former colleagues to make them aware of his death.
Mike was one of my colleagues in Client Publishing when I left TSO in 1999. Our team was headed by the late Steve Ward and other members were Bob Nelson, Brian Daniels, Jim Marshall, Phil Wilkes, Bob White and Tony Johnson, and I’m sure they will be as shocked as me in hearing of Mike’s passing. The tributes paid to him by his family were very warm and loving and his grandson Liam spoke on behalf of the whole family. He had also written a very moving yet humorous poem about his granddad, and his great love and admiration of Mike was as obvious as it was touching.
Mike was a lovely man and I remember his great kindness in offering to take my family down to West Runton one Saturday at the start of our caravan holiday there and he insisted on returning to bring us back at the end of the week. Mike was very keen on cars and aircraft but one of his great delights was running regular ballroom dancing evening classes. He told me once that his portable gramophone, plus a selection of records, travelled everywhere with him in the boot of his car.
Donations in memory of Mike will further the work of ‘The Elsie Bartram Diabetic Clinic’ and can be made online.
Farewell Mike. May you Rest in Peace’.
Mike joined HMSO in April 1976, as a Printing Officer and survived privatisation with a post in Client Publishing, as mentioned in David’s reminiscence.
Jim Marshall adds: I first met Mike as I came out from my interview at Sovereign House. We exchanged pleasantries as you do and wished each other luck not really expecting to see one other again. Imagine our surprise when we both turned up 3 months later for our first day at HMSO. Mike went to Contracts and I went to CEPA. As Dave said Mike was a lovely man always willing to help so much so that when we moved down from Scotland after hiring a van from Willhire Rentals, remember them, Mike was there waiting to help unload.
As it happened we ended our time in the office on the same section. We even had a Turkey and Tinsel Weekend at Gunton Hall and Mike and Christine would join us for the section’s Annual Burns Supper at the Wig and Pen.
He will be fondly missed. Requiescant In Pace Mike