Tributes to much-loved publican who lived life to the full

Roger “Rog” Shaul passed away on September 4, aged 77.

A much-loved husband, dad, grandpa, friend and publican who, during his years behind the bar at The Three Tuns in West Lutton, the Dawnay Arms, West Heslerton and The Coach & Horses in Rillington, became a familiar and much-loved character to many people across the local area.

Born on May May 1949 in Wyberton, in South Lincolnshire, Rog the first son of Cyril and Helena and came from a very modest rural background where life in those early years could be tough.

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He remained in Lincolnshire until his late 30s, spending much of his adult life around Caistor and Market Rasen, where he became well known.

However it was then that Rog met Helen, and fell in love with her at first sight.

His step-daughter Katherine, said: “Rog knew she was the woman he wanted to spend his life with and told her that if he could spend his life with her, he would be happy forever.

“It was quite a declaration, but Rog was never really a man for doing things by halves.And he meant it.”

Helen had three children — Richard, the eldest, followed by myself and Angela — and Rog stepped wholeheartedly into family life.

Katherine said: “Although technically he was our stepfather, that word has never really described what he became to them. Rog was Dad.

“I remember being about seven and thinking Rog was like a giant — a big, strong, bearded man who was jolly, fun and larger than life.And that big, strong Rog became their protector.”

He worked hard to provide for his family, including many years as an HGV driver, notably with S.A. Bell, while weekends were about family.

In the early 2000s, Rog finally followed what his family believe had always been something of a calling and became a pub landlord.

From 2002 to 2014, Rog was at the helm of The Three Tuns, the Dawnay Arms and The Coach & Horses.

Katherine said: “It was a role that seemed made for him. For Rog, running a pub wasn’t simply about standing behind a bar and serving drinks.

“A good pub was the heart of a community, and being a landlord brought together so many of the things he loved most — people, conversation, friendship, sport, quizzes, laughter and, of course, the occasional lively debate.

“He was intelligent, interested in the world and naturally curious. He could hold a conversation with almost anyone and genuinely enjoyed people.

Katherine said for all the fun and larger-than-life stories, the most important thing about Rog was the way he loved his family.

“Rog had strong, traditional values. He believed in working hard, trying your best, treating people with decency and respect and standing by the people you loved.

“Those values had a profound influence on Richard, Angela and myself, but he didn’t simply tell us how we should live, he showed us

“That support continued for all three children throughout their lives — through relationships, marriages, divorce, children, careers, businesses, successes and difficult times.

“When things went wrong, he didn’t keep score. He didn’t judge. Even when one of them had made a mistake, his love and support remained the same.”

Katherine said that as the years passed, the family Rog had joined in 1988 grew again.

“He became a much-loved grandpa. “First came Richard’s children, James and William, followed by Katherine’s children, John and Jane, and later Angela’s children, Sebastian and Lucian.Rog took enormous pride in watching the next generation of his family grow.

And through all of those chapters, there was Helen.Together they built that life.

Nearly four decades filled with children and grandchildren, pubs and dogs, holidays and adventures, friends, laughter, hard work, difficult times and wonderful ones.

Katherine said Rog had a life well lived.

“He became a husband, a dad, a grandpa and a publican whose personality left its mark on the communities he served.

Together, we remember a man they we were incredibly proud to call our Rog, and we all feel extraordinarily lucky to have been loved by him.

“And perhaps the final words should belong to Rog himself, ‘I’m not here for a long time, I’m here for a good time’. He certainly made it a good one.”

A celebration of Rog’s life will be held at the Coach & Horses in Rillington on Tuesday, September 22, at 3pm.