BrianTOWLERMr Brian Towler, aged 91, passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home in Feniscowles, surrounded by his loving family, on Saturday, November 13. The only child of Lizzie and Harry Towler, Brian grew up in Park Road, Accrington where he attended Hyndburn Park Junior School, and later Haslingden Grammar School. His father passed away when Brian was 17, and his dreams of university came to an abrupt end as his mother needed his help in the family business, a grocer’s shop on Blackburn Road. A year later he met his future wife Sheila, when he was 18 and she just 16. They married on May 8, 1954, at St Paul’s Church, Oswaldtwistle, and apart from a two-year separation when Brian did National Service in the RAF, they were together for 72 happy years until Sheila passed away last December. Brian trained as an engineer, working for British Leyland and Lucas Aerospace in Burnley. A favour for a friend who asked Brian to stand in for him one night and take his class of engineering students, led to Brian being offered a full-time teaching post at Accrington and Rossendale College, with the opportunity to qualify on the job. He worked for many years at the Sandy Lane branch, and later set up and ran the Ritz Annexe which became the engineering department of the college. A keen tennis player, Brian played all year round, for Accrington college and for East Lancs Tennis Club. He took his racquet on holiday, playing in the heat in Spain, accepting challenges from Europeans who thought they could beat him. They couldn’t. Family was everything to Brian and Sheila. They leave behind a daughter Pauline and son Stephen, grandchildren David, Rebecca, Emily and Luke, and toddler great-grandchild Charlotte. Brian was a much-loved friend to many and a highly respected teacher to many more. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. His funeral will be held at St Paul’s Church, Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle at 2pm on Monday, December 6, followed by cremation at Accrington Crematorium at 3pm, and refreshments at the Calf’s Head, Worston. Donations if desired to the North West Air Ambulance Charity, c/o funeral director Hyndburn Funeral Services, Queens Road, Accrington.
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