Former resident of Enderby, Frank Smith, passed away peacefully on 20th December 2022.
Frank was born in Preston, Lancashire, where he spent most of his life. He left school at 12, to take up an apprenticeship as a car mechanic in a local garage. He later became a driver for a cotton mill in Preston, where he met Kathleen, who worked in the mill. Frank and Kathleen married in 1949, and were married for 66 years. Their son Frank and daughter Joan were born in the 1950s.
During the 1960s, Frank’s career progressed and he became the fire and safety officer for a group of Lancashire cotton mills. With his job came a company car (an Austin A40!), and annual holidays, usually to Devon or Cornwall, became a regular feature. Kath and Frank also loved their later travels around Europe, Austria and Italy being their favourite destinations. Their weekends were inevitably spent walking in the Lake District, where they were probably at their happiest.
During the 1970s and 80s, Frank became a grandfather to Ian, Kent, Jonathan and Lucy, and later a great-grandad to Sophie, Jack, Olivia and Joseph.
When Kathleen’s health faltered, Frank became her main carer. They moved to Leicestershire in order to be closer to their daughter. Frank tried to make Kathleen as comfortable as possible during her later years. He was devastated when she passed away – yet pulled himself together and carried on, teaching himself to cook and developing his computer skills.
Inevitably, the loneliness of lockdown, the frustration of visual impairment, the loss of his independence and long-term hospitalisation took their toll on him. He developed vascular dementia and gradually, the man we knew slipped away. We remember him as a sharp, witty, compassionate, caring man, with an infectious sense of humour.
Joan Woodhouse