TRIBUTES are being paid to a much-loved family man and business owner who had a love for the outdoors.

Described as an ‘incredibly gentle, caring, generous and kind man’ Gordon Parker, of Accrington died suddenly in hospital on February 28 aged 81.

Founder of G. Parker Engineering Ltd, Gordon has contributed greatly to his local business community of Accrington over the years.

The only son of Herbert Victor and Sarah Elizabeth Parker, Gordon first learnt his trade as an Engineering Pattern maker while serving an apprenticeship with Finch Watsons.

He went on to spend three happy years as a proud member of the Scots Guard something his son Michael remembers him talking about with great fondness. He said: “Dad was very proud to have been in the Regiment and had many stories to tell about those three years which everyone loved listening to.

“He had a great love of the outdoors and hiking, something that took him to the Yorkshire Dales where he met my mum. They later met again at Accrington Con, where romance began to blossom.

Gordon later married Mary Doreen and the pair were married for 54 years, having three children Susan, Michael and Saul.

Gordon set up G. Parker Engineering Ltd in 1967, a company that has gone on to design and make tools and fixtures for the aerospace industry, providing tools for leading companies such as Bombardier, Airbus and BAE systems.

Over the years all three of Gordon and Doreen’s children have played roles in the company.

Gordon retired from the company 15 years ago and dedicated much of his free time to his love of the outdoors and in his home workshop, working on new creations which he loved to involve all six of his grandchildren with.

Richard, George, Lucy, Celia, Jacob and Katie all loved spending time with their grandfather in his workshop, and Michael said: “Much of dads enjoyment came from his six grandchildren.

“Many happy hours were spent in the garden at home with them or involving them in what he was doing in the workshop. He designed furniture for us all and made individual chairs for all the grandchildren. Latterly he made many (many!) walking sticks.

“I am in no doubt that these were some of Dad’s happiest days.”

The family will be celebrating the life of Gordon Parker at Dunkenhalgh on Friday 16 and invite all friends and family to join them to raise a glass to ‘the life of a lovely man.’