A funeral service was held at the Parish Church, Driffield on Monday, February 18 for Mr George Henry ‘Paddy’ Arnold, of Northfield Road, Driffield, who died peacefully in Scarborough Hospital on February 5. He was 77,
The service was conducted by the Rev Malcolm Exley and the organist was Mr Martin Salter.
George Henry Arnold, or Paddy to most people was born in July, 1935. He lived with his mother Annie and his father George in Tullynagardy just outside Newtownards, County Down. Following the death of his mother when he was nine years old the family moved to Warrenpoint as the war ended. He passed his 11+ with a scholarship for 2 years but his father could not afford the fees so at 14 he started his first job as an errand lad for the local grocers.
He later went to Leeds to live with Harold and Maxine and their children Derek and Hilary. After a short spell working in a garage, National service beckoned and his love of aircraft drew him to the Royal Airforce, but being a true Irishman he found himself working on boats as part of the Marine Craft Section. After sailing round many of the Southern ports and the Mediterranean Sea Paddy found himself stationed at Bridlington working on RAF rescue boats.
He met his wife Thelma Weir at a dance at the Town Hall in Driffield and they married on the 29th March, 1956 at the Parish Church in Driffield.
Paddy left the Air Force and they went to live with Harold and Maxine in Leeds to work in Harold’s butchers business although they regularly scootered back to Driffield to see Thelma’s family at weekends. After a while they returned to Driffield to be near Thelma’s family, Paddy went to work at Bradshaw’s Flour Mill and they lived nearby at Bell Mills, they later moved to Westgate, Eastfield Road and finally Northfield Road. They went on to have two children Shaun and Gavin and when Thelma’s sister died Paddy became a father to Craig and brought him up as his own.
Despite being kept busy he still found time for his hobbies and loved taking his three sons on boating trips to air shows and football matches. For many years he managed the local boys’ football team, Driffield North End. Paddy and Thelma loved going dancing at the Pegasus Club and the James Last concerts in Bridlington. After a time the children grew up and left home and started their own families and Paddy took an active part in the lives of his grandchildren Ruth, Hannah, Becky, Hayley, Zoe and Brogan, caring for them and taking them for days out.
Paddy and Thelma loved to travel and spent many holidays in and around the Med. Their particular favourites were Malta, Venice and Yugoslavia. After 20 years as a postman in and around Driffield Paddy retired to spend more time with Thelma, although she was forced to retire due to ill health, Paddys love for her never waned and he devoted himself to her care. They still enjoyed meeting and being with people and they regularly attended the local Rendezvous and Extend Groups.
They celebrated their Golden Wedding in March 2008 at the Bell Hotel with their family and friends. Sadly Thelma died in July 2009.
Paddy made a lasting impression on people with his politeness, patience and caring and his lovely nature, he was a true gentleman who would always go out of his way to help people and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Family mourners: Shaun Arnold & Rosie Brown (son & partner),Gavin & Carol Arnold (son & daughter in law), Craig Ellis & Julie Elvidge (son & partner),Ruth & Alex Hayward (granddaughter & husband), Hannah Arnold & Dan Cooke (granddaughter & partner), Becky & Jamie Wilson (granddaughter & great grandson), Hayley Harris, Zoe Ellis, Brogan Ellis (great granddaughters), Derek Sleight & Michelle Dixon (brother & partner), Laura & Kieran Sleight (niece & nephew), Helen, Matthew & John Tordoff (niece, husband & great nephew), Hilary & Alan Ossitt (sister & brother in law), Mr & Mrs Peter Dawson rep the family, Janet & Paul Deering, Mike Lewis, Janet & Steve Lewis, John Lewis, Brian & Ann Lewis, Helen Lewis, Ashley Woodruff.
Others present: Rita & Richard Wadsworth, Karen Gooding rep Mandy & Steve Jordan, Mr & Mrs Peter England rep Mr & Mrs Michael Chambers, Mildred Sleight, Trudy Metcalfe, Maisie Craven rep Stephen, Mrs Sheila Hood rep Ray & family, Mrs Barbara Noddle rep family, Phil Barron rep Simon Barron, Marcia & Geoffrey Roughly, Peter Smith, Robert Lowery, Mrs Sheila Brown, Mrs Brenda Ellis, Heather Reed rep Extended Group, Lucy Shingles, Evelyn Brough, Sue Mellonby rep Brian Mellonby, Derek Pickering & Harold Raines, Pauline Baker, Amy Cockburn, Mr P Bowman, Edith Goodwill, Betty Naylor, Margaret & Ray Ward, Alison Moore, Anthony Whitwell rep Paul Whitwell, Julie Roe, Chris Naylor, Kath Taylor, Marlene Robson, Jennifer Taylor rep Alan, Carol Denman, Maurice & Lynn Hardy rep Jane Turner, Pete Sowersby, David Sowersby, Jean Sanderson rep Tony & Joan Cooper, Mary Cowley, Jim Barron, Frank Meek, Ron Ellis, Phil Wright, Liz & Brian McCauley, Mrs C Coleman, Bridget Coleman, Mary Fothergill rep the family, Angela Cawte, Adele Currie, Peter Makey rep Paul, Tina Cintron, Brian Kitt, Steve Duggleby.