Funeral to be held for keen former Melton bowler and Petfoods manager
A funeral service will be held next week for Terry Payne, who was a founder member of Melton Indoor Bowls Club and a manager at Pedigree Petfoods.
Terry passed away aged 90 after a life in which he worked hard, enjoyed playing sport and doted on his family.
Bowls played a big part in his life, at both the Melton and Holwell clubs, with the highlight of his career playing in the national pairs finals at Worthing with Jim Orton.
Terry’s daughter, Karen, told the Melton Times: “Dad used to virtually live at the bowls club – I never used his house phone, I just used to ring the bowls club.
"He was a very proud and loyal man and we will all miss him.”
Terry was born in Staines, Middlesex, in 1936, the second eldest of seven children.
After war broke out children were evacuated from the capital and four-year-old Terry, accompanied by sister Pat, were relocated to Frisby-on-the-Wreake.
The family were eventually reunited when their father went to work as an engineer at Langar Airfield.
They moved to Scalford, where Terry attended the village primary school before studying at the Melton Modern Boys’ School.
He left school aged 15 to work at Holwell Works as an apprentice fitter/turner.
He also saw National Service, serving in Germany at the same base at the same time as legendary singer Elvis Presley was there with the US Army.
In 1962, Terry got a job at Pedigree Petfoods in Melton, initially working in maintenance before being promoted to production management – he retired in 1987.
He loved playing football and cricket for Scalford and Holwell Works FC.
Terry married Monica at St Mary’s Church in Melton in June 1960 – the couple had met when she was 15 in Melton market place, when Terry was showing off with his friend on their motorbikes.
The couple both enjoyed playing bowls and were club presidents in the same year.
They also have a son, Nick, five grandchildren Becky, Dan, Scott, Shannon and Megan, plus great-grandchildren Ella, Evelyn, James and Alice. Son-in-law Mark completes the family.
Melton Indoor Bowls Club founder David Brown said: “Terry loved his bowls – he was a lovely man and everyone liked him.”
Terry’s funeral is on Thursday July 23 at Loughborough Crematorium at 10.15am.