It is with deep sadness that we share the news that the Revd Graeme Pringle died on Saturday morning. Graeme suffered a very unexpected cardiac arrest on 15 September and never recovered consciousness. After 12 days in the ICU Graeme died peacefully surrounded by his family. His passing is a profound loss for Graeme’s many friends, former colleagues and most all his family, he will be greatly missed.
Graeme’s wife, Jan wrote on Saturday morning:
“'Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.'
(Matthew 5:4)
Graeme died peacefully early this morning.
We will miss him terribly but are so grateful for the time we’ve had with him.
Just last month we had a fantastic family holiday with all of us together and he had loved it. We had had a summer packed with travelling, time with family and new experiences. A few days before his cardiac arrest, he had told me he felt closer to God than he had for many years. As far as we knew, he was in good health and felt fit and well. I see God’s timing in this.
Although these last few days have been very sad ones for us, we have had such comfort in being together, sharing our memories and supporting each other. We have also been lifted up by your prayers and the messages and memories that many of you have shared.
Graeme and I did almost everything together and I’ve no idea how to do life without him but I am trusting in my Father God to give me the strength one day at a time as he has already been doing.
Please do keep praying for us all. We are so grateful for the love and support we have received.”
Bishop Sophie said:
“I was so very sad to receive the news that Graeme had died following his cardiac arrest a couple of weeks ago. Graeme has been a wonderful servant of this diocese for many years. I was privileged to meet him before serving here, through his work on the safeguarding dashboard, an innovation which has made a transformative difference to the quality of our work across the Church of England. I was grateful to have the opportunity to visit Graeme in hospital and pray with him and his dear family. His wife Jan and their children, as well as his friends and colleagues, are very much in our prayers at this difficult time.
I am thankful for the care they have all received, not least from St Paul's Leamington but also from so many who have supported them in this difficult time.”
For us as a diocesan family, this is a widely felt loss and we pray for all those impacted by Graeme’s passing, especially his family and friends – May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Throughout his life Graeme served God with great distinction, as a husband, a father and in ministry, both in our diocese and the wider church of England. He has been a significant asset to our diocese as Ordinand, Curate, Vicar and serving for 11 years as Director of Communications and Projects. After retiring from that role in 2023 he continued to serve on the Bishop’s Council. Graeme was made a Canon of Coventry Cathedral in 2022. In 2018 Graeme launched the Safeguarding Dashboards to support parishes with their safeguarding responsibilities. These are now being used in over 10,000 parishes across every diocese in the Church of England, as well as being adopted by other denominations and organisations, a phenomenal contribution to the Church in a wider sense.
Sharing your memories
If you would like to join with Graeme’s family and friends in sharing photos or memories of Graeme, there is a new website for us to remember him.
This has been pulled together by his family to which they added:
“Dad took a very diligent approach to web development, and he wouldn't have dreamed of sending this out so quickly with next to no testing; so apologies in advance for when it inevitably breaks!”
Playlist
His family have pulled together a playlist of Graeme’s favourite songs in memory of him, you can listen to the wonderfully eclectic playlist here.
Tribute from the Revd Canon Richard Cooke
Graeme’s former colleague and friend Revd Richard Cooke has written his reflections around the line: ‘soonest our best men with thee do go’ and how Graeme was one of the ‘best men’.
Read Richard's tribute.
Funeral details
Graeme's funeral will take place on Friday 16th October.
There will be a small family service at the crematorium in the morning and then everyone is invited to a Service of Thanksgiving for Graeme's life at 2pm at St Paul’s Church, Leicester Street, Leamington Spa CV32 4TE. Parking near the church can be difficult but there are several car parks not too far away.
Dress Code: Graeme would want people to wear whatever they feel most comfortable in. Feel free to wear bright colours in celebration of his life or to dress more soberly if you'd find that helpful.