Former gamekeeper Ralph Charles Lilley, of Tutton Hill, Colerne, died at the Royal United Hospital in Bath on June 4 after a short battle with cancer.

He was born in 1931 in Effingham, Surrey and spent most of his childhood there until he left school at the age of 14 and became a game keeper.

At the age of 19 he did his two years of national service at RAF Colerne. He met his wife June as she was walking her dog by Lucknam Park.

They married at St John the Baptist Church, in Colerne when he was 22.

After a short time the couple moved to Lincolnshire for Mr Lilley’s job as a game keeper.

The couple had two sons, Christopher in 1957 and Richard in 1960, and five years later the family came back to Colerne where Mr Lilley worked as a gamekeeper at Colerne Park until 1973.

At the age of 34 he went to work at Copenacre as a fire security officer and bought his own house on Tutton Hill, Colerne.

His children went to Colerne Primary School and Corsham School and he stayed at Copenacre in Corsham until he retired aged 62.

He was a member of the Colerne Royal British Legion branch and went to watch his son Chris and later his grandsons play rugby for Bath.

In 2005 he had to have a heart bypass but he still helped his son Chris with his business in the pub trade.

In March this year Mr Lilley was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

He died at the William Budd Ward at the Royal United Hospital in Bath on June 4 and his funeral was held on June 10 at St John the Baptist Church, in Colerne.

Mr Lilley leaves his wife, two sons and three grandchildren Craig, 23, Mark, 21, and Sean 19.

Donations can be made to the William Budd Ward at the RUH c/o Merretts Funeral Directors, 57a Pickwick Road, Corsham, sn13 nbs.