Tributes to former senior environmental health officer (From St Helens Star)

Tributes to former senior environmental health officer Eric Sawyer

9:54am Friday 8th March 2013 in News

ERIC Sawyer, a man who made countless friends throughout his life, and who at one time ran a joke shop on North Road, has died.

A former senior environmental health officer with St Helens Council, Eric died last Tuesday.

He was chairman, among other positions, at Nalgo/Unison Social Club on Bishop Road and was a familiar face at Greenalls Social Club where he played for the snooker team.

Eric was a keen bowler with Beechams Social Club, Unison Social Club and Pilkingtons at Alexander Drive. He helped set up the Co-operative Partnership Funeral Service.

Eric and his late wife Barbara were active members of St Helens Rambling Club, and he sang regularly with the Friday Nighters.

More recently Eric enjoyed a round of golf at Grange Park Golf Club.

Eric, (72), attended Ravenhead C of E infant school and Grange Park secondary school, and completed an apprenticeship in joinery.

Soon after he joined St Helens Council and worked in environmental health. He stayed at the council until his retirement.

Eric’s granddaughter Jenny Wright said: “Eric grew up in Thatto Heath on South Street, and married Barbara in 1960.

“They lived in Rodney Street, where my mother Gillian was born. Her sister Alison was born at Braeside Crescent in Billinge.

“They then moved as a family to North Road in St Helens where they ran a sweet shop, also on North Road.

“After this they moved to Dentons Green Lane and ran a joke shop on North Road instead of the sweet shop.

“Later they opened a wool shop in Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath.”

Later the family lived on Bleak Hill Road in Eccleston, where Barbara died in 1998.

The funeral service is at St Helens Crematorium on Friday, March 8 at 3.30pm going on to the Unison Club afterwards. Daughters Gill and Ali and the rest of the family are inviting anyone who knew Eric to attend.