15th October 2023

It was a sad day on 15/10/2023 when the sudden news came of the passing of W Bro Roger Thomas, PPrSGW (Craft), PPrGInspWks (Mark) aged 72 , as he was a stalwart member of both Dewi Sant Lodges. He held the distinction of being the first initiate in both Dewi Sant Craft and Mark Lodges of which he was justly proud.

Born in Pontrhydyfen, he moved to Porthcawl at an early age where he spent most of his life only moving to Bridgend on retirement. He was proud of his roots in Pontrhydyfen and often joked that similar to other famous sons of the area he too should have had a blue plaque on his family home.

He forever remained a ‘Bachgen Bach o Bontrhydyfen’

Roger spent his life in education, ending his career as Headteacher of Llanfair Primary School in the Vale of Glamorgan. He was a devoted husband of Meryl and proud father and grandfather.

I remember Roger as a colleague and friend and his dry wit and infectious personality lifted many a dry boring meeting which we attended. He always had the knack of focussing on the important and shelving the trivial, often with a wicked smile.

He bore his illness with fortitude and resilience which was a hallmark of his character and he will be sorely missed amongst his many friends.

Diwrnod trist oedd hi ar 15/10/2023 pan ddaeth y newyddion sydyn am farwolaeth yr H. Fd Roger Thomas, PU-WBD (Crefft), PAGBD (Marc) yn 72 oed, oherwydd yr oedd yn aelod pybyr o’r ddwy Gyfrinfa Dewi Sant. Yr oedd yn fater o falchder mawr iddo mai ef oedd yr aelod derbyniedig cyntaf yng Nghyfrinfa Grefft a Marc Dewi Sant fel ei gilydd.

Wedi’i eni ym Mhontrhydyfen, symudodd yn ei blentyndod i Borthcawl lle treuliodd rhan fwyaf ei fywyd tan iddo ymddeol a symud i Benybont-ar-Ogwr. Yr oedd balchder mawr ganddo yn ei wreiddiau ym Mhontrhydyfen ac roedd yn aml yn cael hwyl wrth ddweud, y dylai fe yn yr un modd â meibion enwog yr ardal fod wedi cael plac glas ar dŷ’r teulu.

Treuliodd Roger ei fywyd ym myd addysg, gan orffen ei yrfa fel Prifathro Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair ym Mro Morgannwg. Yr oedd yn ŵr teyrngar i Meryl ac yn dad a thad-cu hynod o falch.

Yr wyf yn cofio Roger fel cydweithiwr a chyfaill ac fe wnaeth ei ffraethineb sych a’i bersonoliaeth heintus godi aml i gyfarfod sych a syrffedus a fynychai. Roedd ganddo’r ddawn bob amser o ffocysu ar y pwysig a gwthio’r dibwys o’r neilltu, yn aml gyda gwên ddrygionus.

Dioddefodd ei salwch â’r dewrder a’r gwydnwch a oedd yn gwbl nodweddiadol o’i gymeriad ac o blith ei gyfeillion niferus, bydd yn chwith iawn ar ei ôl..