JOHN HOLDEN
MR John Emmanuel Holden passed away peacefully in The Royal Blackburn Hospital, on Thursday, June 28, aged 82.
Son of the late Harry and Ellen Holden, John lived in Ormerod Street, Accrington, where his parents owned a greengrocer shop.
Growing up, John attended Spring Hill Junior School and Accrington Technical School in Church.
Upon leaving school John served an engineering apprenticeship at Lang Bridge Limited followed by two years national service in the Army.
After leaving the service, John settled down to family life with his wife Barbara and started work at Howard and Bullough Limited, later to become Platt Saco Lowell, in Accrington.
John was tragically widowed in 1981 but met and married his second wife Hazel in 1983, he always said that he had the two best wives a man could ever have wished for.
From an early age, John was an avid sportsman.
He played cricket in the local leagues, later playing for Church Cricket Club in the Lancashire League, and whilst in the services played cricket for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
He was also a keen footballer and spent many years as a referee in the Lancashire Combination and Northern Premier League.
John enjoyed holidays and weekends away in the caravan with his family, particular favourites being to Arnside and Cornwall, the annual family holiday usually meant travelling through the night, caravan in tow, in order to reach the destination the following morning.
In later years John travelled widely, taking in trips to Jersey, Australia, Egypt and many times to Las Vegas.
He was a devoted husband of the late Hazel, a much loved father to Neil, Ian and the late Steven, John’s sons with his late wife Barbara, father-in-law to Patricia, Christina and Sharon.
He leaves grandchildren Paul and his wife Carolyne, Angela, Laura and Jake, great-granddaughter Amelia, and dear sister-in-law Kathleen.
John’s funeral was due to be held at 9.40am, on Thursday, July 5 at Accrington Crematorium, Burnley Road, Accrington followed by a morning reception at Sydney Street WMC.
Funeral director: Peter and Sonia Regan, Hyndburn Funeral Services, Queens Road, Accrington.