A funeral service was held at the Methodist Church, Nafferton on Tuesday, May 7 for Mr William Gilbert (Gil) Appleby of Sycamore Close, Nafferton who died in hospital on April 25. He was 90.
The service was conducted by the Rev Robert Amos and the organist was Sarah Sellar.
Gil, as he was always known as, was born in 1922 in Nafferton to George & Jemima Appleby. The second of three boys and with six sisters he enjoyed a very happy family childhood.
On leaving school he worked at Thirsk’s Mill, then at the age of 18 he was called up to join the Coldstream Guards and became a Guardsman, he served throughout the war. He saw conflict in Holland, Belgium,France and Germany, liberating many cities on the way. Brussells was one he was most proud of, to be one of the first tanks to enter the city. Being asked by the locals ‘Is you English’, having said yes it started much happiness and celebrations. Gil was awarded three medals for his service and was demobbed in 1946 with an unblemished record. A letter from his commanding Officer spoke of his bravery and loyalty to his fellow guardsmen, many of them losing their lives and he rarely spoke of these sad times.
In 1946 after joining Civvy Street again, he worked at the Landlimes Quarry at the top of Nafferton Wold, driving spreader lorries treating farmland all over the East Riding. He continued to be employed there for a further 40 years retiring in the mid eighties.
He moved from the family home in Coppergate in 1987 to Sycamore Close just round the corner, he enjoyed his garden and spent many happy times working in his greenhouse.
Gil loved sport, he played cricket and bowls for Nafferton, he was also a good darts player. He also enjoyed encouraging his nephews and nieces and their parents in playing cricket on the sands at Auburn. He also enjoyed horse racing and was familiar with all the flat courses in Yorkshire which he attended with his sisters and brothers in law.
For the last six years he was helped enormously to stay independent in his home by Pete and Enid who provided all his meals and did his shopping, his brother in law Les took over when Pete & Enid went on holiday. This tremendous help enabled him to enjoy and live the life he wanted in his own home. Due to ill health he had spent the last few months in Woodlands.
Although a bachelor all his life he always supported his many nieces and nephews and always took an interest in their lives.
He will be greatly missed.
Family mourners: Les Hughes (brother in law unable to attend), Bunty Appleby (sister in law), Peter Rodger (nephew) rep Kay, Jim & Helen Jepson (niece & family in France), Wendy Jameson (niece) rep Christopher & Antony Jameson (great nephews), Geoff & Joan Appleby (nephew & wife), David & Gillian Johnson (nephew & wife) rep Richard & Elaine Johnson (great nephew & wife), Sue & Brian Mellonby (niece & husband) rep Paul Mellonby (great nephew), John Lawton rep Lyn Atkin (niece & partner), Anthony Rodger rep Jonathan Rodger (great nephews), Darren & Mark Appleby (great nephews), Jane Sharp rep Steve Sharp (great niece & husband), Andrew & Meryen Jepson (great nephew & wife), Alan Child rep Liz Smith, Dennis & Maureen Carr (cousin & wife) rep Mildred Arnold..
Others present: Philip Barron rep Simon Barron, Cath Kitching rep Ian, Audrey Jackson, Christine Watson rep Jean Merritt, Heather Winn rep Gerald, Mavis Hunsley, Harold & Audrey Raines, Mrs Ruth Hammond, Mrs M Hammond rep Mr P Hammond, Steve Wright, Esther Ralph, Florence Jennison, Philip Walker, John Ellis, Mr & Mrs John Dean, Margaret Johnson, Anne Pudsey, Stephen Burdass, George Dixon rep Bernard Crosier & Graham Massey.
