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To hear that a much-loved man of almost 93 has died is certainly sad, but in
the case of Lou Dunn, it was still a huge shock. Just three weeks earlier,
Lou and his wife Millie - both looking a million dollars - had told this
magazine that they'd had the time of their lives at the Dial-a-Cab 50th
anniversary dinner and ball. Although it never appeared in Call Sign, a photo that Call Sign's Karen Zetter took of Lou and Millie together with son Gerry (S84) and daughter-in-law Janet was described by Gerry as the best group photo they'd had of the four of them for years - so much so that Call Sign had a special enlargement made which we presented to Lou and Millie via Gerry. That photo was proudly displayed at Lou's bedside when he quietly passed away on Sunday June 29 with his family around the bed - just 22 days after the D&B. "They looked so well at the D&B," Gerry told Call Sign, "and enjoyed the evening so much. Dad was chatting up all the young ladies as usual! Neither of them wanted to leave...!" At the funeral, Gerry gave a poignant yet humorous eulogy on his dad's life - even to the point where mum Millie burst out laughing telling those around her how true the funny events that were being remembered were. Gerry ended by telling the sea of sad faces: "We come here today not to mourn the death of my father, but to celebrate his life..." Many DaC drivers attended the funeral, as did Board Members Allan Evans and Mike Son. Brian Rice was away in Rhodes on holiday. Also turning out in force were committee members of the LTFUC, of whom Gerry has been a member for many years. It is quite feasible to say that without the likes of people like |
"Mourn Lou Dunn's Death?
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Lou Dunn, the radio taxi industry may never have really got going. Back in
1952, the only way to get a two-way radio in your cab was to be a fleet
driver with either York Way Motors or the London General Cab Company, both
of whom ran their own radio circuits. The fledgling ODRTS was still a year
away but without RODA, that year may never have come... Several drivers, including the young Lou Dunn, had got together and the Radio Owner Drivers Association was born. Soon known as RODA, word got around quickly and it soon had enough drivers to operate as the first non-fleet owner-drivers radio circuit. It started successfully with the founders doing all the running around for no pay. Sadly, problems - mainly financial due to drivers not paying their subscriptions - beset it and it folded in the face of the new oncoming ODRTS. However, without the RODA lead, who knows whether Bonnie Martyn would ever have had the inspiration to start our company. Lou Dunn visited Dial-a-Cab in mid-January this year and was shown around personally by DaC Chairman Brian Rice who told Call Sign that he was delighted to be able to show Lou how owner |
Below: Brian Rice greets Lou Dunn as he tours Brunswick
House in January
driver radio taxi organisations had progressed. "Who knows where we would be
without people like Lou Dunn in our past," said Brian at the time.
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