Tributes paid after businessman and community servant dies aged 92

Keith Wainwright, who until recently lived at the Whitecliffe Nursing Home in Blandford Forum, Dorset, died on Sunday, January 14.

The grandfather-of-three was born at Old Hall Farm, Kimberworth, in 1925 to parents Bernard and Dolly and attended the town’s Grammar School.

Mr Wainwright (pictured) married Wendy Wilson in 1951 and they lived in Wickersley and then Herringthorpe Valley Road for around 45 years.

The member of St Cuthbert’s Church, who moved to Dorset in 2010 when his wife went into care, was an apprentice at Firth Brown Tools and worked his way up to becoming managing director of Aven Tools in Maltby and then managing director of Firth Brown Tools.

He was a member of Rotherham Round Table and Continuity, the Junior and Senior Chamber of Commerce, The Cutlers Company in Sheffield, the Feoffees of the Common Lands of Rotherham and the Mary Bellamy Trust.

Mr Wainwright was a governor at Thomas Rotherham College and held the position of Grand Feoffee in 1977, 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2001.

Father to daughters Juliet and Caroline and grandfather to Joseph, Edmund and Annabel, he was a collector of antiques, particularly Rockingham China, and a member of Welbeck Sailing Club, as well as enjoying caravanning and gardening.

A service of thanksgiving will be held at Blandford Forum Parish Church on Monday, February 19, at 2pm and donations can be made for the upkeep of Blandford Parish Church by visiting www.close-funeral.co.uk.

Mr Wainwright’s daughter Juliet said: “He was a proud Yorkshireman and would have loved to have been able to remain in Yorkshire all his life.”