The death has occurred of former Herald printer Michael James Holder, of Whitehaven, aged 87.
Oldest of the three children of the late Cecil and Annie Holder, of Brougham Street, Castletown, Penrith, Mike was born at his grandparents’ home at Dacre House, Warcop.
He went on to spend many happy days there during his childhood and would later talk of going down to the beck and swinging over the water, and playing in the station house with his grandfather.
He had two sisters, Brenda and Christine, with the family growing up in Castletown. They were all very community minded and stalwart supporters of events such as the Castletown pantomimes — one of Mike’s favourites being Aladdin.
After leaving school at the age of 15, Mike became an apprentice printer at the Herald. His early career was interrupted by national service with the RAF and from November, 1954, he spent two years based in Cyprus. After returning to Cumbria, Mike worked at the Herald for many years as a Linotype operator, creating lines of type in hot metal, before moving to work for Penrith-based printers Airey and Stephenson.
He was foreman printer there until the firm ceased trading in 1995.
Mike then went on to briefly do site maintenance at Penrith’s Ullswater Community College until he took retirement.
Mike served for 19 years as a special constable with the Cumbria police force. He was based in Appleby, where he was section supervisor. He was also a chairman and treasurer of the Special Constable Association.
In his youth he was a keen sportsman, playing cricket for the old Penrith Wanderers club.
He was mainly a spin bowler, while his father acted as umpire. He also played football for the former Penrith Weavers team.
However, his favourite hobby was gardening and he had a particular passion for growing vegetables. He was never happier than when spending time in his greenhouse. He also kept livestock while living at Kirkby Thore, but had an aversion to goats.
Well known for his quick wit and sense of humour, Mike was the life and soul of any gathering. He was a well known patron of many hostelries, such as Penrith’s BBC Club and Station Hotel, and also the Stag, at Gullom, near Milburn.
He always enjoyed playing darts and dominoes. He had a prodigious memory and could recount tales of his youth and about the many people he had met. He had a wide repertoire of jokes and rather risque limericks from his RAF days, which his children can repeat perfectly.
He moved to Whitehaven in 1998, due to his wife’s employment. He spent his retirement gardening. He also enjoyed drinking mugs of tea at his breakfast bar, playing cards and being a taxi service for his children in his trademark burgundy Volvo estate car.
He enjoyed meeting many of his children’s friends who frequented the family home, since he could relate to people of all ages and backgrounds.
He was father to Naomi, Owen and Nadia and surrogate father to Joe, Jack, Kit and Jim. He had 11 grandchildren. They are devastated by their loss, but find comfort knowing he did not suffer and is at peace.
Mike passed away peacefully on his 87th birthday, surrounded by his wife and children in Whitehaven — poetically just after they had sung him Happy Birthday.
The funeral service is to be held at Saint Benedict’s Church, Whitehaven, on Wednesday, 2nd August, at midday, followed by committal at Distington crematorium.
