Loving Tribute From Daughter

28 September 2010, 00:00 | Updated: 28 September 2010, 08:38

The daughter of a scooter enthusiast from Ramsgate will read a moving poem at his funeral today.

Lucy Tocci, 12, penned the tribute after she lost her dad. Joe Tocci came off his Lambretta on the M2 near Faversham on Sunday 12 September and suffered devastating head injuries. He was taken to the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford by the Kent Air Ambulance, but he later died.

The 45-year-old mechanical engineer moved to Thanet with his family when he was a boy, his mother Kay thinking the air on the coast would be better for her children than that in Tooting, London.

He liked fishing in the harbour, exploring archaeology through metal detecting and trawling charity shops for old ska and northern soul records, most of which he did with his daughter, a pupil at St George's School at Broadstairs.

Lucy celebrated her 12th birthday on 20 August and one of her father's last gestures was putting together a BMX bike for her, a present from her Mum, who knew who to call on for help.

His biggest love were his scooters. He had built vehicles from scratch and Lucy had enjoyed bumping around in a side car in the past. He had many friends through his obsession.

His mother Kay said: "He was very sociable. He had a good sense of humour. And he was always right and he would tell us so! Although, we would often find out that he was."

He leaves Lucy, Kay, four sisters and a brother and nine nieces and nephews. His partner Sarah, who was on the back of the scooter when it came off the London-bound motorway when they were on the way to Essex for a day out, was taken to hospital with minor injuries. She has since been released.

The funeral is at 11am at St Ethelbert's Church in Ramsgate. Everyone is welcome. Rather than flowers, the family has asked for donations to the Kent Air Ambulance via Twyman and Holmes funeral directors at Ramsgate.
 
Lucy's poem:
 
Dear daddy,
Dad you are so special to me,
I'm going to miss you so much.
I will never forget you and the times we had,
I feel so sad and I love you so much Dad.
 
We laughed and we talked,
We cycled and we walked,
We went fishing, down by the sea,
We kissed and we hugged,
All because you loved me.
 
Lots of love, Lucy xxx