Former Penrith teacher and sports fan Stanley Collinson, who “had a love for life and people”, has died, aged 83.
Born at home in Tyne Close Terrace on 6th October, 1937, his father, also Stanley Collinson had a shoe menders shop in St Andrew’s Churchyard and was well known in Penrith as a footballer and sprinter, and latterly for snooker and billiards playing.
His mother Jessie (nee Leighton) worked at the telephone exchange during the war and was active in Mothers’ Union and drama groups at St Andrew’s.
He had a younger brother, the late Gordon, who taught at Penrith Queen Elizabeth Grammar School.
Growing up at Tyne Close Terrace, the family also had an evacuee living with them during the war — Ronnie Bamborough, from Newcastle Royal Grammar, who became a lifelong family friend.
Mr Collinson attend Penrith’s County Boys School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School before serving national service in the RAF.
He bought a motorbike and passed his test as soon as he was old enough and used it to travel back home to Penrith. He also cycled a lot, once biking from Manchester back home to Penrith.
He then became a transmitter engineer for the BBC working both in Surrey, and locally at Skelton, as well travelling countrywide measuring television signals.
Mr Collinson met his wife-to-be, Marilyn, who was born in Kirkby Stephen, but grew up in Plumpton, at the wedding of his friend to her sister, where she was a bridesmaid.
They got married in April, 1969, at St John the Evangelist Church, Plumpton, and lived in Netherend Road, Penrith.
Their first child, Lucy, was born in 1971 and son, John, in 1977.
Mrs Collinson died in 1986, but he remained at Netherend Road until last November when he went into hospital then the Lanercost House Nursing Home, Carlisle.
In the 1970s, Mr Collinson retrained as a school teacher and subsequently worked at County Boys School and Wetheriggs Junior School.
He was particularly remembered by his pupils for teaching football and athletics.
In the early 1970s, he taught adult literacy classes at Penrith’s Ullswater School.
He was also involved with Penrith ATC for a while in the late 70s and early 80s .
After leaving the teaching profession, Mr Collinson also worked for a time at Penrith Post Office, Richardsons Timber Merchants and Cumbria County Council’s Job Training Scheme.
He loved the fells and, for a number of years, was a member of Penrith mountain rescue team. He had an extensive knowledge all the mountains in Cumbria and was in demand by family and friends to guide them on walks.
Mr Collinson was also a keen runner and participated in the Great North Run, The Cumbrian Run and Windermere Half Marathon.
Together with his son, John, he loved going out on mountain and road bike rides, covering many parts of the Lakes, as well as enjoying cycling holidays in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
A very creative person, Mr Collinson was both artistically and scientifically minded, and everything he did was with a lot of thought and care, consequently always of a high standard.
Daughter Lucy said: “He made quite a lot of our furniture at home and maintained our cars and bikes in his workshop at home.
“He could fix most mechanical and electrical items. He had an extensive knowledge of the fells, from exploring them and reading the maps carefully.”
Lucy added: “He was a very kind and thoughtful person, who would make an effort to consider another person’s point of view and feelings, and would always help and advise people when he could.
“He liked people, and loved chatting and taking an interest in them. He would always remember what people had told him about themselves.
“He had a great sense of humour, loved telling jokes and recounting funny stories of things that had happened to him and people he knew.”
Mr Collinson is survived by his son, John, of Penrith, and daughter, Lucy, of Carlisle.
The funeral service took place at St Andrew’s Penrith and Richardsons Funeral Directors, Penrith, had charge of the arrangements.
