A FORMER reporter and prolific letter writer, Jack Loftin, has died, aged 87.

More than 20 years into retirement he was still writing to the Oxford Mail’s sister paper the Wantage and Grove Herald, holding councillors to account and contributing to the Old Wantage Facebook page.

He recently posted: “Every day I find I can stand, talk, walk and use my PC is a lovely day whatever the weather.”

The father-of-one and grandfather-of-two died at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, on Sunday, October 19, with his family by his side after a short illness.

This week’s obituaries:

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, married daughter Sue Gorham and two grandchildren.

Born in London in 1927, he moved to Chippenham, Wiltshire, after his mother’s death as his father tried to find work during the depression of the late 1920s.

In 1943, he became junior reporter for the Wiltshire Gazette at twenty-five shillings a week.

After a chance meeting with the editor of a rival paper in 1948, he accepted the job of Wantage reporter for the Swindon Evening Advertiser and North Wilts Herald.

At a dance in Wantage’s Victoria Cross Gallery, he met Barbara Law, of Wantage, whom he married in February 1951.

As Wantage reporter, he covered news and sport and wrote a weekly news-and-views column.

His family said he was respected as an unbiased, honest reporter and friend to local voluntary organisations, publicising their various causes.

At a Berkshire County Council meeting in the early 1960s, he learnt that a new primary school for Wantage was to be built in the town on land which would be subject to a compulsory purchase order.

He suggested to councillor Fred Haines that as the council already owned land at Charlton where a lot of children lived, this was the logical location.

His views were accepted and Charlton Primary School celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

A lifelong sports fanatic, he played hockey, cricket and football, joining the North Berks Football League Council in 1968.

He was made life vice-president in 1989 and a minute’s silence was held at all matches on Saturday out of respect. In retirement, he reached a new audience with The People’s Wantage Past and Present series of books, which he worked on with colleague David Castle.

He was working on the final volume the week before he passed away. He had also been writing his memoirs, entitled A Man Changed by Headlines, until September this year.

His daughter Mrs Gorham, 54, of Wantage, said: “To his family and close friends it is the epitome of the self-deprecating, funny, caring, gentlemen with a wicked sense of humour and a penchant for play on words.”

His funeral, for close family only, will be held tomorrow.

Friends and well-wishers are invited to a memorial service at SS Peter and Paul Church, Wantage, on Friday, November 14, at 2pm.

Mrs Gorham said: “This is a celebration of a unique and wonderful life so no black clothes please.”

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