‘Lovely’ hardware shop boss loses his fight for life
THE family of a man who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to serving the Mirfield community have paid tribute to him after he sadly died just days before his 61st birthday.
Mark Light, 60, owner of LD Smith Hardware on Huddersfield Road, died on Friday, December 18, after contracting coronavirus.
The 60-year-old also suffered from oesophageal cancer in the latter stages of his life.
Mark, who would have turned 61 on December 30, was a familiar face on the Mirfield high street having taken over the LD Smith Hardware store around 22 years ago.
As he lived in Selby for most of his life, the grandfather-of-five faced a significant commute of over two hours a day in order to get to and from work.
And it was that sort of dedication that gave him the reputation of going above and beyond to help his customers.
Mark’s wife, Julie Light, described him as a “lovely, lovely man” who was passionate about his work.
Julie, 63, said: “He went over and above for everyone - he’d help anyone out. At the shop, at home, he never stopped.
“His work ethic was phenomenal – he loved going to work and he never moaned about it.
“He was so generous in every way and he always had a smile on his face. He was a lovely, lovely man.”
Julie and Mark married 13 years ago and celebrated their anniversary on December 7.
She said her husband always had a special place in his heart for his customers who he thought of as more like “his friends”.
Mark’s sister, Carol Padgett, 58, worked alongside him at the store for around 16 years.
She described her brother as being “so helpful” as well as a skilled handyman.
“We get a lot of elderly people coming into the shop who haven’t got anybody to do anything for them,” she said.
“He would have a go at any little job for them if he could - he was just so helpful.”
Mark’s funeral will take place on Wednesday in Selby.
He leaves wife Julie, children Michael and Rebecca, step-children Clare and Leon and five grandchildren.
He was so generous in
every way and he always had a smile on his face. He was a lovely, lovely man.