Former Abingdon mayor William Wivell has died

Mr Wivell, 80, right, died at home in Curtyn Close, Abingdon, on Monday last week, following a battle with bronchiectasis, an obstructive lung disease.

He was a town and district councillor for eight years.

He leaves his wife, Jill, 79, three children and seven grandchildren.

Mr Wivell was born in Lewdown, near Tavistock, Devon.

He attended Lewdown Primary School and Tavistock Grammar School.

After finishing school, Mr Wivell worked as an executive officer in the south regional post office in Bristol.

It was there that he met his wife, Jill, in 1955.

The couple married two years later at St Gregory’s church in Seaton, Devon, and had three children, Stephen, Louise Watson, and Richard.

They became grandparents to seven grandchildren, Bethany, Cara, Sam, Anna, Rachel, Aidan and Katie.

During Mr Wivell’s Post Office employment, he was promoted to head postmaster at St Aldate’s, Oxford.

He moved to Abingdon at the end of 1979 and his wife and children followed midway through 1980. They moved to Curtyn Close, which has been their home ever since.

ln 1987, Mr Wivell was elected to Abingdon Town Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council.

During his time on the district council, he was a member of the housing committee.

He became deputy mayor of the town council in 1991 and mayor in 1992.

During his year as mayor, he attended more than 100 civic engagements with his wife Mrs Wivell said: “I went with Bill on a lot of his civic commitments, opening various things and going to different dos. We both thoroughly enjoyed it.”

She said that her husband had a lot of good qualities and that the family missed him.

Mrs Wivell added: “Bill had a good sense of humour. If someone asked him how he was, he would always reply ‘vertical’.

“He was very patient and hardly ever lost his temper.

“He was a very caring man.”

Mr Wivell stepped down as a town and district councillor in 1995.

He and his wife shared joint hobbies. They were members of the Abingdon Bowls Club and Frilford Heath Golf Club.

Mr Wivell’s funeral took place at Oxford Crematorium on Monday.

A thanksgiving service will be held at St Helen’s church, Abingdon, on a date to be announced.