13/07/2026
Around this time last year, we had the honour of scattering Roy Potter’s ashes in space, giving this avid seafarer an awe-inspiring final send-off.
Roy’s 40-year maritime career began at the age of 22 with a 5th Engineer role aboard Shell’s tanker fleet, eventually working his way up to Chief Engineer over the following two decades. Shore leave gave Roy the chance to enjoy a range of exhilarating pursuits including parachute jumping and flying a glider, as well as exploring his passion for music by playing jazz and classical guitar. He even took up scuba diving and sailing after his retirement from his seafaring career.
Roy was a quiet and unassuming character with a dry sense of humour. He was also a loving husband, father and grandparent who was extremely generous with his time. His devoted wife Sheila explains how they settled upon a space memorial after his passing:
“There were discussions within the greater family as to what he would like us to do with his ashes, but none of the suggestions were quite right. Then I remembered seeing something about sending ashes into space, and that is how I found Aura Flights. We all agreed that this was exactly the right thing for him; he’d be tickled pink!”
She concluded by saying:
“Watching the video of his final journey was beautiful, spell binding and extremely emotional. However, as time has passed, it has become easier to watch, and I am grateful for the way it was so thoughtfully put together with photos and music of my choosing. Roy will be in our thoughts forever.”