Tributes are paid to historian Guy (From Cotswold Journal)
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Tributes are paid to historian Guy
10:30am Friday 28th September 2012 in News
EXPERT: Guy Stapleton pictured at Chastleton House in 2006. He died following a short illness.
FOND tributes have been paid to Moreton resident and historian Guy Stapleton.
The 76-year-old died in the early hours of Tuesday, September 11, following a short illness.
Born in Derby on November 10, 1935, Mr Stapleton moved to Moreton five years later with his parents and attended private schools in the town along with Stow and Malvern College.
His career in the civil service spanned from 1954 to 1995 and included roles in the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Agriculture.
He was also chief executive of the Intervention Board from 1986 to 1995.
His nephew Brian Stapleton sais he was a father figure to him and his sister Clare, and remembers his “wicked sense of humour”. He said: “My father, Guy’s brother, died quite young and Guy was like a substitute father to us. He was always a big presence in our lives and always there for us both. He managed to find as much time for his family as he did for his other interests.”
After retiring, Mr Stapleton returned to Moreton after working in London and Reading during his civil service career.
He was a keen writer and leaves behind a legacy of his own books and poetry.
Mr Stapleton was vice-chairman of the Moreton and District Local History Society from 1991- 1997. He was then chairman for almost 15 years until last year.
Margaret Shepard, club secretary, said: “He left the society a wealth of local history material which will be available to the local community. He was an expert on Moreton history. We will greatly miss his booming voice at meetings.”
Town councillor Rod Hooper said that Mr Stapleton did a great job during the four years he was on Moreton Town Council in the late 1990s.
“He was a marvellous chap,”
he said. “His heart and soul was in Moreton and local history.
“His contribution to the history of Moreton and servicing the area was second to none. He really thought a lot of Moreton and will be sorely missed by a lot of local people.”
His funeral was due to be held yesterday at St David’s Church in Moreton.
