Family mourn dog-lover dad (From Swindon Advertiser)

Family mourn dog-lover dad

4:00pm Monday 18th March 2013 in News By Emma Dunn

FAMILY man Peter Wake, who loved nothing more than spending time with his dog, Molly, has died aged 66.

The retired carpenter and joiner, of Liden, featured in the Adver in 2008 after he joined a walking group in a bid to get fit so that he could take his Staffordshire Bull Terrier for walks.

Peter, a grandfather of five, died of Guillian Barré Syndrome – a disorder of the nervous system which causes paralysis – with his family beside him at Great Western Hospital on March 10.

His daughter, Paula Kimber, said: “He got a dog in 2007 because he needed to make himself walk. He managed to take her out for a few walks but then it got a bit much.

“He used to like taking her to the lagoon and sitting on the chair watching the world go by. She was very much his dog. He loved her to bits.”

Peter, who also suffered from diabetes, was taking part in a Primary Care Trust and council-run walking group every Monday at the County Ground when he appeared in the paper.

He was working his way back to fitness after he suffered a heart attack in 2001 and was left with a damaged left ventricle, which meant he had breathing problems.

Peter finished work in 2002 due to his health but continued making things in his workshop at the bottom of the garden.

Peter’s son, Jason, said: “He loved going up to his workshop, he used to go there and come back with lots of woodshavings on him. I worked with him for a bit because he did a self-build in Gloucestershire. I was only 11 or 12 and at the weekends I would go out and help him.

“We had some good laughs. Sometimes we disagreed but instead of falling into a fight we would part for a while and make it up again later.”

Peter was born in Oxford on December 16, 1946 and had a brother, Joe (deceased) and two sisters, Dorothy and Barbara.

He met his wife, Phyllis, at a dance in Reading and they tied the knot in August 1969 at Christ Church in Reading.

They had two children, Jason, 42, of Rodbourne, and Paula, 41, of Liden. They moved to Swindon in 1976 when Peter took on a selfbuild project with 12 other manual workers.

The group, which included builders, carpenters and labourers, helped each other build a house each in White Edge Moor in Liden.

He lived in one of the houses with his family for 30 years before moving to a smaller home, which was also in Liden.

Peter worked in the railways for about four years after they moved to Swindon and was also a keen darts player.

Paula said: “He had a good sense of humour and he liked to wind you up.

“He always liked to be right, even if you could prove it in black and white he would still be right.

“He was very family orientated and loved having his grandchildren around. He used to like winding them up as well.”

Peter had five grandchildren, Billie Kimber, 15, Jamie Kimber, 12, Jordan Wake, 15, Riley Wake, 11, and Connor Wake, eight.

Peter’s wife, Phyllis, said: “He was a chatterbox, he used to tease me for not being very chatty. He liked talking.

“He loved his family and was very close to his grandchildren.”

A service will take place at Kingsdown Crematorium at noon on March 27.

A wake will be held at the Liden Arms after the service.