Standing room only at funeral for community stalwart

St Bartholomew’s was packed more than half an hour before the service for Ron Buck (pictured), a magistrate for 21 years and a former NUM official.

Ron (85), of Redwood Drive, died suddenly on January 3 - a week after the funeral of Betty, his wife of 62 years.

At Ron’s service last Friday, close friend Jim Fletcher said: “It’s difficult to encapsulate 50 years of friendship like this. 

“Ron was one of those rare men who believed in, and always looked for, the basic goodness and kindness that he considered was in everyone.

“His honesty and integrity shone like a beacon for us all to follow and he was a true example of how we should all live our lives.”

Ron was a miner for 30 years from the mid-1950s and in 1978 he became NUM branch secretary.

Ron had been called an “encyclopaedia of Maltby” because he was involved in so many causes and was presented with the British Empire Medal in 1984 and the High Sheriff’s award in 2002.

Ron and Betty had two daughters, Caroline and Elizabeth, as well as grandchildren Jonathan, Richard and Hannah and great-daughter Bethany.

See this week's Advertiser for more coverage from the funeral and tributes from Ron's friends.