Tributes for St Helens' Brendan Fagan, known as HH Cody

Brendan Fagan, known as HH Cody, was born in Fingerpost and died in Burtonwood on December 28 aged 75, and his family has spoken of the impact that he had on their lives.

Wife Marie said: “He was one of the kindest people you could ever met.

“Brendan was a very quiet man and he didn’t make a fuss about things. He had a shocking sense of humour and he used to laugh at the most outrageous things.”

It was while working for Ravenhead Glass in St Helens, Brendan met Marie Dorothy Fagan and they married nine months later in 1974.

Brendan with his daughter Jayne on her wedding day

Marie, aged 75, added: “At lunchtime when I started work, he came upstairs and I was reading a book. He asked ‘what’s your comic?’ and I said ‘I’m reading a book, not a comic!’ and that was it.

“We just got on straight away as soon as we met.”

Their only child, Jayne Leponis spoke about just how special her dad was.

She said: “We are devastated and will miss him dearly.

“He loved Saints. Dad and my mum were really good and avid Saints supporters which brought quite a laugh with their Burtonwood neighbours who were Warrington fans.

“He didn’t mix a lot, he wasn’t the most well-known chap in the village as he was private and quite shy.

Brendan with his much-loved grandson Thom

“My dad let out his personality with his writing and he had the most magnificent blue eyes which had a twinkle in and a wry little smile.

“He had a unique condition and grew up not expecting to live long. He lived a normal working life and retired while writing.

“His great passion was reading and writing. He was a genuinely gentle and unassuming man.”

Jayne’s inspiration to become a camera operator came from watching documentaries with her father as a young girl

She added: “We used to watch war documentaries and I wanted to be a combat photographer and work on documentaries.

“My parents were well-read and intelligent people. We went to art galleries and museums and I used to moan at them when I was little because I wanted to go to Alton Towers, but as I got older I absolutely cherish those days.

“My dad brought me up with the idea that if you really want something, go and do it. He really was my inspiration. I had a belief system from my mum and dad that anything is possible.

“I never heard my dad moan or feel sorry for himself. He just got on with things and he went into his other world by writing and his books started to get published.

“He was happy with a simple life and he was content with his reading and his writing.”

Brendan gained ideas and interest in books at Black Horse Westerns. He was with Hale Publishing which published Black Horse Westerns and Linford produced a large print of it. Later, Alderscroft printed his books to large print when Hale finished publishing.

Marie and Brendan on their wedding day

Having spent some time at the open-air school in St Helens previously and in Sutton, Brendan and Marie moved to a rural Burtonwood in 1983 – a place he thoroughly enjoyed.

Jayne, who lives in St Helens, continued: “The difference in air quality in Burtonwood in the 80s compared to Sutton with all the factories was amazing. He absolutely loved walking with the dog around the fields in Burtonwood.

“I’ve got two black horses that are going to pull in on the walk he and my mum used to do with Bowie the dog around Burtonwood to the church.

“He’d probably roll his eyes at me doing such a thing but that’s my little hats off to him.

“He loved it in Burtonwood.”

Brendan also joined Burtonwood Amateur Music and Drama to help with productions before his health declined.

And productions weren’t the only thing he loved.

“He loved walking. He also loved his grandson Thom and Thom liked talking to him about his books

“We’re only a little family but we have all rallied around him to empower him and keep him going.”

Brendan's funeral will take place on January 21.