John Slater

7.10.00pm GMT Fri 7th Aug 2009

It is with very great sadness that we have to announce the death of John Slater on Friday 31st July 2009 at his home in Stoney Middleton.

John will be missed not only by his wife Helen and son Richard but also by his many friends and relations in Stoney Middleton and the surrounding villages.

He will be particularly missed by the Parish Council, which he steadfastly refused to join, but attended our meetings more regularly than than most of the Councillors. We frequently had to have a proposer and seconder to close the meeting while John had his say but he was always helpful and his interventions usually resulted in him volunteering to sort out yet another problem. Drains, seats, Christmas Trees, gates and hedges he dealt with them all and the village won't be the same without him.

John was a major force on Well Dressing Committee where he represented the Entertainments Committee for many years. Not for John the glamorous jobs - he was the expert on the cost of mobile toilets besides running and organising the ball race and raising much needed funds by walking the length and height of the village selling tickets.

John also convened Neighbourhood Watch in the village until ill health forced him to resign last year.

The funeral will on Monday 10th August 2009 at 11.30am St Martins Church and later at the Moon Inn. Family flowers only with donations to St Martins Church. Wellies may be needed at the cemetery.