A FORMER mayor of Clitheroe who taught at Stonyhurst College for 20 years has died aged 91.

Pat Shepherd, who served on both Ribble Valley Borough Council and Clitheroe Town Council, died surrounded by his family on Monday.

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The father of 11, who also has 27 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, has been hailed by his family as a loving, kind and thoughtful man.

Originally from Catford in Kent, he attended Christ Hospital School before joining the RAF during the Second World War and was part of the crews who invaded Northern France in the days after D-Day to prepare airfields.

After the war he spent some time in Germany before being demobbed and returned home.

He married Shelia Gilroy and had three children before Shelia was killed in a road accident in 1955.

Before moving up to Clitheroe to take a position at Stonyhurst College in 1966 he married Mary in Wimbledon. They enjoyed almost 59 years together and had eight children.

After teaching design technology and geography at the private school for two decades the Park Avenue resident retired in 1986.

He was a committed member of St Michael and St John’s RC Church and was also a member of the Knights of Saint Columba.

Pat served on the borough and town councils for eight years and was Clitheroe’s mayor from 1989 to 1992.

Mary, 83, said: “He was a very kind and lovely man and will be be missed by an awful lot of people.

“He was very thoughtful and great to be around.

“Pat was a wonderful husband and a great dad, grandad and great-grandad.

“He had a great influence over people and tried to help them achieve the best they could.”

His daughter Jacqui, 57, said: “He had a big heart and he was so loving.

“He always had a kind thing to say and took the time to listen to you.

“He was a quiet man but he made an impression on everyone he met.”

The funeral will take place on Tuesday, March 31, at 11am and guests are asked to wear bright colours The family requests donations to his favourite charity, WaterAid via: justgiving.com/PatShepherd, instead of flowers.