BRYAN SCHOFIELD OBITUARIES
MR Bryan Schofield died peacefully in hospital on Wednesday, February 14, aged 79.
He was the beloved husband of Carole, cherished dad of Mark and Paul, father-in-law of Deborah and Linzi and treasured grandad of Daniel and Hannah.
Bryan and his wife Carole were known to many as the owners of Schofield’s shop on Burnley Road, Rawtenstall, until retirement.
He was a lifelong Burnley fan and also enjoyed snooker, fell walking and had a love of the Lake District.
He was a former chairman of Rossendale Round Table and a member of the Rotary Club.
A service will be held at Winfield Funeral Home, James Street, Rawtenstall, on Tuesday, February 27, at 10.30am, followed by interment at Rawtenstall Cemetery.
Family flowers only please with donations preferred for Rossendale Hospice.
Funeral director: Fred Hamer Funeral Services.
DONALD PAUL
MR Donald Paul, of Rossendale, died on Wednesday, February 14 aged 90.
He worked as a farmer all his life in the family business, breeding beef cattle.
He loved his family and his devoted dog Fly.
Husband of the late Gladys, he leaves daughters Brenda and Sheila, sons-in-law Ken and John, grandchildren Leanne, Claire, Paul, Michael and great grandchildren Caitlin, Bailey, Sam, Joseph, Thomas and Isaac.
The funeral was due to take place on Thursday, February 22 with a service at St Mary and All Saints Church in Goodshaw at 2.30pm, followed by a burial at Rawtenstall Cemetery.
Flowers welcome, or donations if desired to Alzheimer’s Research UK. Donations can be made online by visiting www. fredhamer.co.uk.
Funeral director: Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer Funeral Service.
BARRY PILKINGTON
MR Barry Anthony Pilkington, of Bury Road, Rawtenstall, died on Friday, February 16 aged 75.
Barry ran the Whitchaff pub for eight years in the 1990s with his wife Sue, he then retired and went on to do the farmers market and food shows for Ireland’s black puddings.
His hobbies included gardening, football and trains.
He enjoyed socialising with friends and family. He also enjoyed holidays, visiting South Africa four times, as well as Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and many other places.
Barry leaves his wife Sue, son John, daughterin-law Claire, three grandchildren Conor, Ellen and Grace and his sister-in-law Kate.
The funeral will take place on Friday, March 2 at Accrington Crematorium at 12.20pm.
Family flowers only, with donations to an Alzheimers charity c/o funeral director Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer Funeral Service.
SHEILA CHADWICK
MRS Sheila Chadwick, of Rochdale Road, Edenfield, died peacefully at home with her husband Dennis, on Wednesday, February 14, aged 84.
She was the licensee of the Rostron Arms, Edenfield, with Dennis for 23 years.
Sheila was a keen gardener and enjoyed shopping with her daughter Lindsay, reading and tapestry.
She was married to Dennis for 65 years and was the mum of the late Vernon.
She leaves her husband Dennis, daughter Lindsey and son-in-law Geoff, and grandchildren Michael and Lucy.
The funeral service, conducted by Canon Anthony McBride, will be held on Thursday, March 1, at St James The Less RC Church at noon followed by interment at Rawtenstall Cemetery.
Family flowers only with donations to the British Deaf Association.
Donations can be made online by visiting www. fredhamer.co.uk (tributes and donations).
Funeral director: Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer Funeral Service.
MALCOLM DURHAM
MR Malcolm Durham, of Laburnum Street, Haslingden, died at his home on Tuesday, February 13, aged 74.
He leaves his wife Alethea, daughter Alison son-in-law Brendan, brother Jimmy and family.
Malcolm lived in Bolton until his marriage to Alethea.
After a while they moved to South Africa for a number of years before returning to Haslingden.
He was an electronic supervisor with Texecom prior to retirement and in his younger days he enjoyed a game of darts and watching horse racing.
The funeral was held on Wednesday, February 21, with service at the Pleasant Street Chapel of Rest.
This was followed by cremation at Accrington Crematorium officiated by the Rev David Burrows.
Donations in memory of Malcolm are for Rossendale Hospice c/o Josephine Durning for Johnson Durning and Woods Funeral Service, Haslingden.
RIZPAH ASHWORTH
MRS Rizpah Ashworth nee Watson, of Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, died in the Royal Blackburn Hospital after a short illness on Friday, February 16, aged 79.
She was born in the Bhusawal Railway Hospital, India, where her father worked as a train driver on the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.
She attended Taylor High School in Poona, and Barnes High School in Deolali, India.
After her family came to England in 1949, following Indian Independence and Partition, she attended Paddington and Maida Vale High School for Girls.
She later trained as a teacher at Hockerill Teacher Training College in Hertfordshire.
She taught at various primary schools in London, and was also a Sunday school teacher at Christ Church, Spitalfields, in the East End of London.
Here she met and later married one of the curates, Rev Edward Ashworth, from Newchurch in Rossendale.
They were married by the Rector of Spitalfields, Rev Denis Downham, who had previously been vicar of St Saviour’s Church in Bacup.
Rizpah tirelessly supported her husband in his ministry in two further curacies in Plymouth and Blackburn.
After that they moved with their young family to their first parish of Northside in Workington, Cumbria.
In 1979 she came to Rossendale, after her husband was appointed vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Tunstead, in Stacksteads.
Here she continued to teach in Sunday School, helped run the young people’s fellowship, led the Mother’s Union, and sat on the Parochial church council.
She also worked as a supply teacher, and taught at various schools throughout the Valley, including Tunstead and Western (in Stacksteads), Thorn and Britannia (in Bacup), and the Tutorial Special Needs Unit in Rawtenstall.
After retirement, she attended St Mary’s Church in Rawtenstall, where she was the treasurer of the Women’s Fellowship.
Rizpah was a kind and gentle lady, who enjoyed reading, and visiting churches, museums and art galleries.
She loved spending time with her granddaughter Elinor, and actively living out her Christian faith.
Widow of the late Edward, she leaves her sons, Michael and Jonathan, daughter-in-law Lisa, and her beloved granddaughter, Elinor. She also leaves her brothers, Henry and Michael, sisters Hilary and Fay, sister-in-law Angele, as well as many friends, nephews and nieces. Two sisters, Enid and Isabel, predeceased her.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, February 27, at St Mary’s Church, Rawtenstall, at 2pm, conducted by the Rev Chris Casey, and followed by burial at St Nicholas’ Church, Newchurch.
Family flowers only please with donations if desired to St Mary’s Church Building Fund, and the Barnabas Fund, care of the funeral director, Michael Churnside for J.W. Churnside & Son Ltd.
RICHARD HOWARTH
MR Richard Howarth died peacefully on Friday, February 16 at Royal Blackburn Hospital, aged 63.
Richard was the beloved husband of Ruth and the dearly loved father of Emily.
Richard was a former teacher at Greenhill School Rochdale, Moorhead High School and Darwen Vale High School.
In his retirement Richard worked for the Wheels for All Cycling Project and enjoyed gardening and cooking.
A service will be held at Rhyddings Methodist Church at Oswaldtwistle on Monday, March 5 at 1.45pm prior to cremation at Accrington Crematorium at 3pm.
Family flowers only please with donations, if desired, to be made payable to either Wheels for All or The International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Funeral director: Kirby and Hughes Funeral Service.
MARGARET DUFFY
MARGARET Mary Duffy, of Highfield Hall Nursing Home, Haslingden formerly of Bacup died peacefully on Sunday, February 18, aged 88.
Requiem Mass will be held at St Mary’s and St Anselm’s RC church, Bacup on Thursday, March 1 at 11am followed by interment at Bacup cemetery at 12.15pm conducted by Fr Frank Thorpe.
Margaret was born in Bacup where she lived almost all of her life. She was a lifelong parishioner at St Mary’s RC, Bacup.
In her younger days she was employed as a weaver at India Mill, Bacup.
She enjoyed ballroom dancing, holidays in Spain and socialising.
She leaves daughters Patricia, Angela and Bernadette, sons-in-law Harold, Jaz and Les, grandchildren Andrea, Beverley, Margaret, Charlene, Damian, Shameem, Tyson and Lee, great-grandchildren and great, greatgrandchildren, nephews, nieces and her friends and staff at Highfield Hall.
Funeral director: Anthony Johnson Funeral Services Ltd.