Jeffrey Mellor (22 Mar 1940 - 13 Jan 2017)

MELLOR
JEFFREY

On 13th January 2017, in hospital, and of Ossett, aged 76 years, Jeffrey, dearly loved and loving husband of Ivy, beloved father of Clive, very dear father in law of Donna, treasured grandad of Jonah, Tyllar and Tuscany a dear brother, brother-in-law and uncle.

Funeral service will be held at Dewsbury Moor Crematorium on Thursday 26th January 2017 at 2pm.
Friends please accept this intimation and meet at the crematorium. Family flowers only, donations in memory of Jeff may be placed in the collection box provided by George Brooke Ltd., for the benefit of The Stroke Association.

Jeffrey Mellor was Friday’s child born in Ossett on 22nd March 1940 and just like Friday’s child Jeffrey was extremely loving and giving. He was well liked, generous, honest and very kind hearted to so many people: some of whom he didn’t get to know until they were in trouble.
Jeffrey never put his thoughts, his feelings, his interests first. He always considered and accommodated others before himself. At the drop of a hat he was there for anyone; completely self-less and always understanding.
All of you here today will recognise the qualities described of this wonderful man, with your own personal memories and specific examples of his nature: a gentle-man in every respect. But what of the man himself, his likes, his loves and his priorities…
In life, nothing was ever more important to Jeffrey than his family. They were the reason why his got up in a morning with a smile in his heart and why he went to bed at night tired, but contented. His family remained his absolute pride and joy, and his greatest source of pleasure. But there were other pleasures in his life and we take a moment now to remember and reflect….
Jeffrey was son to Richard & Alison Mellor and younger brother (by 4 years) to Brian. They would be as close as brothers could be all their lives, working and playing together in common interests.
Jeffrey grew up in Ossett and initially went to Flushdyke School. As a lad, he went fishing a lot with his father: Fresh and sea water fishing which, back then was quite a journey to the coast. Some pictures survive of Jeffrey fishing with his father at Bridlington and Sewerby, where they stopped over. They were members of Ossett Fishing Club, fishing in all the local Ossett ‘ponds’. Sea fishing in particular stayed with Jeffrey until grandchildren became a priority. For a while, he and Brian owned a small but sea worthy boat out of Whitby harbour and most of the year their touring caravans were sited at Sands End near Whitby, a place where Jeffrey liked to walk in the clean fresh air.
The boat was a major restoration project, the boats shell was worked on in Jeffery’s garage where the two brothers fitted an inboard engine, gearbox and cut out the roof trusses to build the cabin. When the build was complete the front of the garage had to be removed to get the boat out.
Jeffrey, Brian and their father also cycled a lot, sometimes as far away as York and often getting soaked along the way. Cycling was something of a necessity in those days, an important mode of transport.
In his younger days, Jeffrey was a keen footballer and had the opportunity to play professionally. But, as was the case for most people in those days, Jeffrey had to work to live and football was a poorly paid profession. In any case, he had to work on Saturdays.
Jeffrey left Southdale School to do an engineer’s apprenticeship at Roger Tiplady’s garage on Dewsbury Road. Unlike his older brother Brian, Jeffrey was fortunate to be the first of his generation to avoid National Service. At the end of his training he was very competent in plant, HGV and motor engineering.
Jeffrey & Brian worked together as mechanics for the best part of 20 years at Frank Mitchells on South Parade, Ossett. At a time when only the likes of doctors and solicitors owned cars, Jeffrey & Brian were driving around in their own 3-4 litre cars. Naturally, Jeffrey became the driving instructor for the family and taught Ivy’s 2 brothers and her sister-in- law. Ivy didn’t pass her test. Jeffrey used to say, ‘She was his only failure’.
Ivy Westbury was an Ossett girl who also went to Southdale School but she and Jeffrey never connected. Jeffrey found her again working in the Co-op next to his garage where he went for cigarettes and a box of matches. ‘He was a good looking lad’ says Ivy and seemed nice.
Jeffrey asked Ivy out and they went to a bonfire. November 5th is a special date that Ivy will always remember. They became a couple that night. Ivy’s parents were strict and she had to be home at 10pm. Jeffrey always made sure she was. Jeffrey wouldn’t go dancing but they went to the Palladium in Ossett, (second) house, because Ivy worked on Saturday’s.
Over the 2⅟₂ years that followed, Jeffrey & Ivy fell in love and married on 25th March 1961 in Dewsbury Road Methodist Chapel: The same church where Ivy taught Sunday School and it was standing room only.
Within 9 months they settled for life in 8 Wilman Post where they would be together as man & wife for 55 truly wonderful years; perfectly happy and contented, just in each other’s company.
If family was Jeffrey’s first passion in life his garden came a close second. They picked number 8 because it had the largest gardens on the street. Jeffrey inherited his father’s green fingers, knowledge borne out of a generation of need and Jeffrey always wanted his own garden where he grew, flowers and vegetables of every imaginable shape and size including fruit trees and tomatoes in the greenhouse at the back. Jeffrey was very knowledgeable and even shared an allotment at Queen’s Drive for a while with brother, Brian.
His favourite flower was the Chrysanthemum, grown to show standard and his gardens were a wonderfully colourful, floral display all year round. Jeffrey loved the outdoors and a keen observer of nature. The garden was Jeffrey’s sanctuary, his own personal masterpiece where he retreated for timeless peace and quiet contemplation. Ivy shared in the pleasure of his labours, but only cut the grass!
Clive was born in September 1962. He recalls that his father was tactile but showed his love by simply being there for Clive at every moment of his life, supporting and encouraging him in everything he aspired too. When he wanted to cycle, his father’s somewhat dated cycle came out of the garage ready for mile upon mile of shared cycling adventures. Father and son just out on the open road, 2 good friends a generation apart.Clive loved his father: A man who commanded quite respect as naturally as breathing, simply because of who he was and what he stood for. As two grown men together they spent many evenings working on family cars, (even after a busy days work). Lazy days on the boat at Whitby and sunny afternoons helping in the garden completed a book of happy memories. His father’s greatest gift was to inspire Clive to become an engineer and run his own business. As Clive had searched to find his own path in life his father always walked beside him, there to run him to job interviews, sometimes a far away as the coast and back.
Clive made a life of his own and married Donna. They have 3 very sporty children; Tuscany, Jonah & Tyllar. Jeffrey became a grandad in 1993 and his grandchildren were his all and everything; they completed his world. Jeffrey became his old name, even Donna called him grandad.
The grandchildren brought out Jeffrey’s inner child and he was always playing with them, talking, encouraging and nurturing them in a gentle, loving and very kind way. His unselfish and infinite patience was very humbling to witness and the grandchildren simply loved him beyond words.
He was a significant establishment all the way through their lives: Sporting events, training, competitions; it didn’t matter what his grandchildren were involved in they just wanted to see his face in the crowd and he would be there on a roller coaster ride of emotion, willing them on, sharing in their joy and disappointments. At the drop of a hat he was also there for transport, extra support and encouragement and he would never, ever let them down. They were a family and they were a team.
Here’s what Tuscany, Jonah & Tyllar have to say about their grandad:
Our grandad is our hero and we have always seen him as the head of our family. Even in his last days he remained a dignified gentleman, and quite frankly is the strongest bloke we know.

He was, and still is, so loved. We doted on him as much as he did us. Grandad was one of a kind, and in many respects another parent to us all. He loved us unreservedly and would bend over backwards to do anything for us, whether we were 6 or 16 years old, you were never too old for a lift from school and a chocolate bar.

Our grandad taught us so many things, and those precious moments are times we will always treasure. Most importantly - was that he was always there, and his presence meant the world to us all. He stood on the side of a rugby pitch or a hockey field, rain or shine, whether we were playing well, horrendously or scrapping in the heat of a moment. If he couldn’t be there, he was always the first person we’d call to shout about the referee, discuss a game, and fill him in on all the important details. He always was so attentive and took a genuine interest in our endeavours, whether going to university, travelling the world or learning to drive.

He was involved in so many milestone moments in our lives: this is the man who taught us to swim and helped us to ride our bikes. We all enjoyed analysing the recent Superleague games with him, as our love for Rugby League as a family was something that we could all get involved with and talk about.

Tuscany remembers how proud he was on her 18th birthday. It was the first year grandad was allowed to pick out the birthday card, and he got the biggest glittery card he could find and she loved it and that made him happy. That’s all our grandad ever wanted; for us to be happy, to achieve and be the best person that we could be.

Jonah remembers when grandad would sit him on his knee, let him take the car out of the garage before he could reach the pedals or see over the steering wheel by himself, which today he believe has led to his love of driving and cars. Once he got his wheels, the first place he took his car was to see grandad, for the seal of approval.

Tyllar remembers when he was younger he visited Thornes park with grandad and play football, taking Ben the dog along for the wander. We used to ride our scooters down the hill from the college and grandad would run behind us, to make sure that we didn’t fall off. He was always so happy to spend time with us all together, no matter how cold or rainy the Yorkshire weather may be.

We are saddened to have lost our one and only grandad but he lives on through us all, leaving a legacy in the lessons and skills he has taught us, the attitude he helped to instil in us all and the unconditional love we all received in the many precious years that we shared. He was such a gentle and loving soul, who could always find time for a cuddle, never raised his voice and spoilt us rotten.

Grandad will live on through all three of us grandchildren for generations to come and we hope that we can do his legacy justice, and make him proud.
Clive and Donna wish he could have been here to see Tyllar’s debut Huddersfield Giants, in Luke Robinson’s testimonial match against Bradford on Sunday 22nd Jan 2017 they know he would have been so proud

Jeffrey retired at 57. Jeffrey & Ivy’s were already content with their lives and each other. Jeffrey’s life didn’t change much in retirement he simply had more time to enjoy it and he was happy at home, in his garden and surrounded by the love of his family.
Tragedy struck 2⅟₂ years ago when Jeffrey had a severe stoke which took his speech, impaired his mobility, the prognosis was very dire indeed. Donna however was determined otherwise and visited Jeffrey every day during his 15 weeks in hospital, to stimulate his communication skills by playing games.
Jeffrey came home to be cared for by Ivy. It was a labour of love and absolute devotion and she would not have had it any other way. Love, patience and understanding won the day and against all expectations, Jeffrey recovered sufficiently to be able to stand and walk, help around the house and in the garden. A new understanding helped him communicate. He even managed to go to a couple of matches. Jeffery’s love and devotion to his family over the years was a debt that could never fully be repaid but his family did everything possible to help and heal him. Jeffrey was a fighter, but the damage caused was great and all the love in the world wasn’t able to sustain him indefinitely.
Sadly, Jeffrey passed away peacefully on 13th January but not before his family were able to visit and tell him just how much he was loved.

He is loved and dearly missed by his family and everyone who was fortunate to have known him.