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Respects paid to Mr Wainwright
The funeral of the former chairman of Wainwright's Shoe Shop, which is based in Princes Risborough, was held last week
Derrick Wainwright passed away at the Ker Maria Nursing Home in the town on September 23 after suffering from Parkinson's disease. He was 86 years old.
Mr Wainwright was born in Dinton in 1921, and his family moved to Risborough in 1936 when his father Albert opened a shop used for repairing and making footwear in Summerleys Road.
During the Second World War he was in the Navy, stationed at a communications base in Bermuda. In 1942 he met his future wife Lilian whilst she was having lunch with friends in St James Park in London, and he and some fellow sailors asked if they could join them.
The pair married in 1944, and had two sons, Paul in 1952 and Philip nine years later.
As a young man, Mr Wainwright could often be seen on his bicycle picking up repairs, or later, out in the van. As the eldest brother, he became chairman in 1958 after his father retired.
His tenure, which lasted until 1981, saw the opening of the Beaconsfield store in 1960, which he personally ran. His brothers Ken and Jim were in charge of the shops at Great Missenden and Princes Risborough, which having already relocated to Station Road, opened its current store in the High Street in 1953.
Mrs Wainwright, 83, told The Bucks Herald: "He started the Beaconsfield shop when it was an empty shell.
"He worked damn hard to build the business up."
She continued that her husband was a keen singer and pianist and added: "He was very kind and considerate and would help anybody."
After retiring at the age of 60, Mr Wainwright and his wife moved to the seaside at Felpham, where he joined a group which visited the elderly in nearby old people's homes.
They moved back to Princes Risborough in 2002, and two years later he went to live in Ker-Maria Nursing Home, which is located just behind the shoe shop in Aylesbury Road.
His son Philip said: "He did pretty well really until the last couple of months, but he was always smiling and appreciative, and was popular amongst the staff there."
Mr Wainwright leaves his wife, brother Jim and sister Kathleen, his two sons, and four grandchildren.
His funeral was held at the Chilterns Crematorium at Amersham.
Would you like to pay tribute to Mr Wainwright?
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Weather for Aylesbury
Saturday 04 February 2012
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