Sam Dickson funeral: son's emotional tribute - ‘Even in death he was thinking of others’

Paying a funeral service tribute in Limavady on Tuesday, Lloyd said his dad “even in death was thinking of others”.

During the service at Drumachose Presbyterian Church, Lloyd said: “The chose to donate his organs which will now completely change three families’ lives.”

Mr Dickson was an unmistakeable figure at band parades across Northern Ireland and further afield with his three ‘Marching Akitas’.

He passed away peacefully on Friday at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Although the father-of-three was asked to lead various bands over the course of each marching season, he was an honorary member of the Constable Anderson Memorial Flute Band.

Ryan Girvan of the Constable Anderson Memorial said Mr Dickson was not just "irreplaceable” for his own band, but for the whole of the Northern Ireland band scene.

At the request of the Dickson family, the band will be playing ‘Absent Friends’ at a gathering at Limavady United Football Club following the burial.

The band set up a justgiving.com fundraising appeal to cover the cost of the funeral and to care for the three Akitas. By Tuesday the fund had reached £8,000.

At Tuesday’s service, Lloyd said a fourth dog owned by his dad was being buried along with him.

"My dad had three joys in life: number one being the dogs, including Angel who is getting buried with him today,” he said.

"Secondly, is the family…. and I’d like to start out by giving a big shout out to the number one in my dad’s life – my granny Philomena.”

Lloyd added: “And thirdly, the bands. The bands were my dad’s second family, and looking at pictures and videos over the last few days just confirms how much they meant to him.

"I would like to thank each and every band member that allowed my dad to march with them and accept him into their friendship groups and their homes… over the last ten years.”

A funeral notice described Mr Dickson as “devoted father of Laurie, Hayley, Lloyd, father-in-law of Laura also Lloyd’s partner Chantal. Loving son of Philomena, and granda-to-be, dad of his much loved pups, Angel, Ashe, Sirius and Ghost. Also a dear brother and uncle.”