Published at 16:07, Thursday, 16 August 2012

A TOWN turned out to say goodbye to one of its best known residents.

More than 100 mourners attended a funeral service at St Mary’s Church in Church Walk, Ulverston yesterday to pay their last respects to Malcolm Sibbit.

Many more lined New Market Street outside Salmon’s Newsagents, where Mr Sibbit worked for 35 years, as the hearse stopped on its way to the church for people to pay tribute.

Mr Sibbit died on August 7 at the age of 65 following a short battle with cancer. A eulogy by his son Craig was read out by one of Mr Sibbit’s old friends, Howard Whitaker.

It read: “Dad, I am sorry I cannot be there but I am glad we were able to come to England a few weeks ago and you could meet your gorgeous granddaughter Olivia. To you, everything was always fine and you never complained about anything.

“Deep down, with having this terrible illness I am sure you knew it was not going to be fine but you never let it get you down.

“You were always so positive.”

Craig Sibbit was unable to attend the funeral as he lives with his family in Australia. His father visited them for their wedding in 2009, where he read a speech at the request of Craig Sibbit and his new wife Stephanie.

The eulogy continued: “No-one ever had bad words to say about you.

“You said in your speech how proud you were to have me as your son and I hope you knew how proud I am to have had you as my dad.

“May you rest in peace, love you always, Craig, Steph, Olivia and all your friends in Australia.”

Mr Sibbit’s wife of 35 years, Sharon, was among the mourners.

The Reverend Gary Tubbs led the service and described Mr Sibbit as “a wonderful man”.

He also read messages from the family, and said: “He thought of others before himself. He looked after his sister Pauline, particularly when her dad died when she was 15.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk