Penrith lost a true character known in the town and also by many in the surrounding farming community with the death of Stanley Walker, aged 85.
One of eight children of the late Fred and Elizabeth Walker, he was brought up on Wetheriggs Rise, Penrith. He had seven brothers, David, Ronnie, Syd, James, John, Geoffrey and Edward.
The young Stanley had a close relationship with his brothers and helped bring up the younger ones after the early death of their father. Later on, the brothers often went out together in Penrith.
Stanley attended Penrith’s old Meeting House Lane Infants’ School and then the town’s County Boys’ School, also now closed.
He went on to work for the late Frank Jackson, mostly collecting fallen stock on farms in the Penrith area. He was employed in this capacity for 26 years, and also worked as a cattle dealer for other businesses and at Highgate Turkeys.
His period of national service was spent with the army, mostly in Hong Kong.
It was while working for Mr Jackson that he met his future wife, Miss Brenda Elizabeth Routledge, at Penrith’s old livestock mart, which stood on the site where the town’s Morrisons supermarket was later built. Her father, the late Joe Routledge, worked at the mart.
The couple married in 1962 and went on to have five children, Angela, Anthony, Linda, Carol and Robert. They initially lived in Castletown and later moved to Kemplay Foot Farm, Eamont Bridge, which is where their family grew up.
Stanley took a keen interest in community life in the surrounding area and helped out when they could, including by letting individuals and groups store items at the farm. The family also offered support to those who were having problems in their lives.
A move was made to Pategill Road, Penrith, in 2000, and Stanley retired a couple of years later. He and Brenda again became involved in many local groups and activities and he was regarded as something of a pillar of the community. Brenda died in 2011.
While Stanley’s main interest was always his family, he enjoyed attending trotting meetings at Appleby and further afield, including in France. He used to help out at the Ullswater Yacht Club, and he and Brenda enjoyed visiting outdoor markets.
Stanley liked to socialise and loved a party with some lively dancing and a few pints of beer.
He and Brenda visited their daughter Carol in Canada on several occasions, and Stanley also went there after his wife’s death.
He is survived by his brothers John, of Calthwaite, and Geoffrey, of Patterdale; daughters Angela Brown, of Bolton-le-Sands, Linda Richardson, of Penrith, and Carol Walker, who lives in Canada; and son Robert, of Penrith.
He had eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The funeral service was held at St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, followed by interment in the cemetery.
Walkers Funeral Directors had charge of the arrangements.
