David Aumonier

David Aumonier, who died on 24 May 2016, at the tragically early age of 58, attended Bangor Grammar School between 1969 and 1973.

Flamboyant, extrovert, and totally individual, it should not have really come as a surprise when David announced one day in 1973, prior to sitting his GCE O-Levels, that he was leaving school to train as a hairdresser.

However, such a decision for an academically very capable 15-year-old male was not commonplace at the time. This radical change of direction was to alter the course of David’s life and lead to a very lucrative and successful career.

He met his wife Lawrain at a hairdressing conference and they married in 1990. Together they became celebrity stylists, owning salons in Belfast and Bangor, and famously cutting the hair of the Northern Ireland football squads that played in both the 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals.

David’s love of music, particularly David Bowie, and playing and watching football, particularly Manchester City, were lifelong passions. Very popular with his classmates, fun and joviality were never far away when David was around and while at Bangor Grammar School he arranged an unofficial challenge football match against Bangor Boys’ Secondary School.

We were beaten by four goals to one and David scored our only goal. He subsequently submitted a match report to the County Down Spectator in which he unashamedly nominated himself as one of the stars of the game. David was also later overheard describing his two yard tap-in as a twenty-five yard thunderbolt!

A loving husband, David was also an extremely proud father. His daughter Paris has recently graduated with a 2:1 in Criminology from Edinburgh University. Son Davis fittingly attended Bangor Grammar School and is currently studying Philosophy at Glasgow University.

Having travelled to various parts of the world and enjoyed a loving marriage and successful business with Lawrain, David was able to reflect on a very fulfilling life during the latter days of his brave five-year battle with cancer.

Following a private cremation at Roselawn on 26 May, a service of thanksgiving was held in First Bangor Presbyterian Church. A packed congregation was enthralled by a tremendously uplifting tribute to a wonderful character, with music from local radio presenter George Jones.

My life, like hundreds of others, has been truly enriched by having the privilege of being able to count David as a true lifelong friend.

Kenny Ferguson