Retired physics teacher Lynn Miller, affectionately known by generations of Appleby Grammar School pupils as Dusty, has died at the age of 86.
Lynn joined the school’s staff team in 1960 and went on to teach there for 33 years. He was head of science for 27 years and, as a self taught enthusiast, championed the introduction of computing into school in 1980. He supplied lighting and sound for all school dramatic productions over the decades and was a highly valued all round “Mr Fixit”.
Following early involvement with the Appleby Jubilee Players in acting roles, he supported their productions technically for many years.
Appleby Town Band members will gather in the cloisters of the town’s St Lawrence’s Church to play a final farewell preceding his funeral at 11-30am on Tuesday, 22nd October. He was chairman of the band for more than 40 years, having joined in 1973. He played the euphonium and then the B flat bass throughout that time, also playing with Penrith Town Band and occasionally the Kirkby Stephen band.
Although he spent his last few years in Brighton, close to his family, Lynn was at the heart of the Appleby church community, so it is fitting that he returns to where he spent much of his life. Known for singing and playing his guitar at groups, gatherings and events, his roles included those of diocesan reader, choirmaster, parochial church council member, chairman of the deanery synod and president of the Full Gospel Businessmen.
He was also vice-chairman of the Eden District Inter-Schools Christian Union and co-chairman of the North Westmorland Convention.
Lynn was also a keen gardener, fell walker, cyclist and steam train enthusiast. Coming from a line of artists, he fulfilled his artistic ambition in retirement by taking up watercolour painting, and also enjoyed writing poetry about people, places and his childhood.
Born in Sunderland on 5th December, 1937, but moving to a small village in Tyneside to escape the blitz, he was educated at Barnard Castle School and studied physics at Durham University. It was there that he became involved in the Christian Union and where he met his future wife Gill.
They married on 28th July, 1962, and at first lived in Colby before settling in Bongate, Appleby. They had three children, Tim, Sally and Joy, and six grandchildren.
