The death has occurred of Harold Pearson, Clifford Road, Penrith, who had a multitude of interests and was known for his generosity and helpfulness.
He had the distinction of being Penrith’s first traffic warden, and also worked for many years as a builder.
Born in October 1937, at Wythwaite, Blencarn, he was one of four children of the late William and Mary Pearson.
He had a sister, Doreen, and two brothers, Maurice and Edward.
The family moved to Long Marton when Harold was still young but subsequently suffered some misfortune, including the death of Edward, aged 13, when he was struck by lightning as he descended from a school bus.
They received support during this period from the Oddfellows Friendly Society, a philanthropic organisation which Harold went on to support throughout his life.
He attended school at Long Marton and Appleby, leaving at the age of 15 to train as a bricklayer with Lewthwaites, of Appleby.
He also gained considerable knowledge of plumbing, plastering, roofing, electrical work and associated trades.
During the hard winter of 1963, Harold and the other builders working for the firm were laid off, but his reputation for having a wide range of skills meant he immediately got another building job.
It was in November 1962, that he married Elizabeth Stephenson, from Temple Sowerby, and the couple lived for the next two years at Long Marton.
They then moved to Cliburn and later, in 1967, to Temple Sowerby, where he played an active role in village life.
He served on the village hall and flower show committees and was involved in setting up a bowls club, going from door to door to generate support for the initiative.
He served for 17 years as a churchwarden, and particularly enjoyed bell ringing and keeping the clock striking at the right time. He also joined the special constabulary and served in the Appleby area for five years.
Deciding he would like a change of career, in 1970 Harold became Penrith’s first traffic warden and later assisted in Keswick.
He believed wardens were there primarily to help motorists, and made many friends through his work.
However, he retained his interest in building and after eight years as a traffic warden he resigned to take up employment with Eden District Council.
He worked there for 10 years before retiring early because of ill health.
Among his many interests were DIY – he would never throw away any item which could be repaired or remodelled – clock repair, photography and car mechanics.
He always stopped to help other motorists who were in trouble, and on one occasion he and his wife missed a ferry from the Isle of Skye after he had done so, leaving them to sleep overnight in their own car.
Organisations he played an active role in included Probus, the Freemasons and the Oddfellows Friendly Society.
He held a number of positions within the latter body over a period of more than half a century.
His great passion, however, was music, and he always owned and played a musical instrument of some kind, his favourite being the bagpipes.
He loved playing at events such as Burns Night suppers and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Self taught, he entertained for pleasure.
He was a founder member of Penrith and District Organ Society and also enjoyed singing, being a member of a 3Ms choir.
He enjoyed touring Scotland by car with his wife, and they also spent many holidays on coach tours at home and abroad.
He loved parties, always being happy to talk to anybody about anything.
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth.
