MOURNERS packed into Kingsdown Crematorium on Friday to say a final goodbye to a ‘perfect gentleman’ and ‘legend’ who died earlier this month at the age of 68.

Popular William Scott, known as Willie, received an emotional and heartfelt send off from family and friends.

His brave wife Lynne fought back tears to deliver a moving tribute to a husband she clearly adored.

“How do I sum up my husband in just a few words?” she asked.

“In a nutshell, he was a simple man who didn’t ask for much in life. He was kind, caring and very emotional.

“He was very generous and would give you his last pound. He probably got the first round in at the great bar in the sky.”

Willie was married to Lynne for 31 years and was a loving father to six children – Mark, Paul, Nicky, Donna, Luke and Ben.

He was raised in Blantyre, Scotland, before moving to Swindon where he worked as a scaffolder.

He met third wife Lynne when they worked at the former Walcot and Parks Royal British Legion club in the early 1980s.

Hugh Milsom, who conducted the service, said: “Willie embraced life, the world and all its challenges. He was, quite simply, unique.

“He was generous, one of a kind and a great bloke to have around. He was a loving husband and the world has lost a true character.

“He spent his life doing everything he wanted and was someone with literally hundreds of friends. He was a larger-than-life character.”

Willie, who for many years was a steward at the Queenstown Club, Dudmore Road, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and earlier this year suffered a stroke.

When not socialising with friends the life-long football fan enjoyed watching his beloved Liverpool and his favourite soap Emmerdale.

Mr Milsom added: “He and Lynn found time to have regular holidays, he especially loved Goa in India.

“He loved being with his grandchildren and life will be so different without him. We will all miss his kindness and his strength.”

Capturing her husband’s sense of humour, Lynne told mourners how, when working at the Queenstown Club, whenever anyone ordered half a pint Willie would shout across the room ‘half’, to which people would shout back ‘half’, in a comical attempt to embarrass the person who had ordered.

Lynne finished by saying: “Many friends have described him as a perfect gentleman and a legend. They certainly broke the mould when they made him.”

Mourners marked two of his loves – singing and Liverpool FC – with a moving rendition of You Will Never Walk Alone, before ending the service with the much more cheery Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, from Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

After the service family and friends made their way to the Queenstown Club for refreshments and to share many happy memories of a life well lived.