Everyone at St Matthew was deeply saddened at the passing of Frank Howard, one of our most loyal and popular parishioners.
Frank, who was among the audience and in good spirits at the recent Garden Party, had bravely fought a number of illnesses, most recently starting chemotherapy for a returning cancer. Regrettably he picked up an infection and died after a short spell in hospital.
Frank lost his wife Sheila (another long-standing parishioner) last year and he continued to live in the family home just a few hundred yards from our church on West Moss Lane.
A former printer, who spent many years at the Lancashire Evening Post back in the 1980s, Frank was a strong and likeable personality who enjoyed music, bowling and dancing. His presence and friendship, both within our church and the local Ballam community, will be sadly missed.