PETER James Cripps sadly died at Westbury Nursing Home on February 11th aged 80. Peter was a much-loved husband, father and grandfather who was a stalwart of the local community through his involvement with the Rotary Club and the Laverton Trust.
A funeral service was held at West Wiltshire Crematorium on Friday 4th March. His wife Carol said, “We had a lovely service that really celebrated his life and it was full of friends and family that came to remember Peter. It was a real celebration.
“The whole thing is just so sad. He’s gone now and I need to accept it. I was there right up until the end with my daughter which I know would have been some comfort to him.
“He was in very capable hands as the nurse dealing with Peter was very kind and really helpful to us through the process. Peter was just such a kind and thoughtful man, especially when it concerned others.
“We first met when we were 17 and things quickly blossomed between us. We ended up being married for 58 years all together.”
Peter was well known for his work throughout the years in the town, in particular Westbury Rotary Club of which he was club president twice (1982-1983 and 2003- 2004). Someone who knew him well at his time at Rotary is Cyril Linham.
Cyril said, “Peter was a man who always did what he said he would – without fail – and was not only a true friend to rely on but someone you would want to rely on. He will be missed terribly.
“I became friends with Peter when we were both very junior members of the Rotary Club, but I was well aware of him from his time as a newsagent in the High Street and I was a butcher in Warminster Road at that time; we were both tradesmen and it just clicked between us.
“Peter wasn’t a man to shy away from work, he would lead it full throttle.
“During his time as club president, he set up the Abbeyfield House on Bratton Road. He was instrumental in the project, he’s obviously heard about the project from somewhere else as there is another one in Trowbridge, but he trawled through the administrative nightmare that was involved with setting the House up and I can’t thank him enough for that.
“He was also involved with the Laverton Trust as he was on the board and oversaw loads of projects in the town through the years; he has really always had Westbury in his sights and always done the town justice.”
