DavidMCCARTHY MBEOf Rawtenstall, passed away peacefully at Lavender Hills Care Home, Stubbins, after a very short illness on January 17, aged 99 years, just 40 days off his 100th birthday.
The family thank the staff at Lavender Hills for their care and love shown to David and all the family, particularly at this sad time.
Brought up in Crumpsall, Manchester, at the age of 16, David started with Barclays Bank in central Manchester before World War II. At the age of 18 he was conscripted into the Royal Artillery, where he was attached to an RAF squadron. He returned to Barclays Bank, eventually retiring from Bury Branch. David was a member of St Matthews Church, Crumpsall, being their Sunday School Superintendent at one time and was always a gentleman, with a sharp memory, and a brilliant communicator. As well as a practical man, keen on all things transport related. He was very well known and loved man, we have been greatly moved by the huge number of messages and tributes sent since his death from across the UK and also from abroad. A founder member of the Waterway Recovery Group Northwest – a group who restore canals back to a navigable state. His fundraising activities included a massive waste paper collection scheme - The Paperchase - for which he was honoured with several awards, including an MBE, as well as providing tea and broken biscuits at canal “digs” and being a salesman par excellence when selling “VALUABLE merchandise” at the WRG sales stand at rallies – (usually non paper items collected from the Paperchase). He married local Crumpsall girl – Doreen Nancy Hayes (always known as Nancy) in 1949. After her death, he eventually moved up “The Valley” to join his son Ian and daughter Jane Barkess, and their families. He had four great grandsons, Thomas, Isaac, Ira and Alfred. He was also a greatly loved uncle and great uncle to his extended family, as well as good and true friend to many.
His funeral will be at 1.30pm on February 13, taking place at St Matthews Church, Crumpsall conducted by the Reader Emiritus Ian Choulerton. This will be followed by a family cremation ceremony at Blackley Crematorium, at 3pm. Following the service, we will be celebrating his life at the Irish World Heritage Centre, 1 Irish Town Way, off Queens Rd, Cheetham Hill. M8 0AE.
Family flowers only, donations which will be going to M3 Project Ltd, Bacup; Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust and the North West Air Ambulance Charity. Donations can be made online: - www.fredhamer. co.uk (tributes and donations) Funeral director: - Dawn Winfield Dip L.M. B.l.F.D. Fred Hamer Funeral Service, James Street, Rawtenstall, BB4 7 NE. Telephone: - 01706 215721 / 215791. [email protected]
