Tributes paid to popular funeral director

ONE of Westbury’s best known and best-loved residents, funeral director Arthur Mays, has died at the age of 92.

He died at his home in Gibbs Close, Westbury, on September 14th surrounded by his loved ones.

Arthur was voted Westbury’s Person of the Year in 2010 following the annual poll by White Horse News readers and was a well-respected and well-loved member of the local community.

Tributes have been paid to him with former mayor  Charlie Finbow saying, “That is sad news indeed; he was more than an undertaker, he was special and I hope he is honoured in the right way. A true professional and a true gent.”

Other tributes on the Westbury Town Forum included: “One true gent. Westbury will be poorer for not having him around . He has obviously done all family funerals for a lot of our families over the years.  He did my little boy’s funeral in 1994 and refused to take payment saying it was his gift to Westbury people. No one should bury their children and this was his gift. We will all miss his lovely words of comfort at very sad often traumatic times. He had a word of comfort for everyone.  rip arthur. Sleep well x.” • “What a servant for the Westbury People he has been, and it is very sad to see him go.”

Arthur was born in Monkton Farleigh on 25th September 1924, and grew up in the village before moving to Heywood where he met Ivy Louisa. The couple married at Heywood Parish Church on 30th December 1944 and moved into their new home in Gibbs Close in Westbury, where they lived all their lives.

Arthur went off to war where he worked as a mechanic on Spitfires and then returned to Westbury to work for a carpenters before becoming a fire officer and then setting up his successful business, Arthur W Mays Funeral Directors, which he ran for 50 years.

He was still involved in the business until recently although it has been run in recent years by Anthony Adams, the son of Anne Adams who was Arthur and Ivy’s next door neighbour and life-time friend and “the daughter they never had”.

Anthony is supported by his brothers Trevor, Stephen and Martin and by Simon Smith, who has worked at the company for more than 35 years.

The funeral service will be held at All Saints Church in Westbury on Tuesday 10th October at 11am. With a request for family flowers only, donations in memory of Arthur can be made to The Bath Cats and Dogs Home in Claverton Down.