Hundreds pay respects to iconic West Midlands traveller, missionary and family man at his funeral

The final journey of a much-respected traveller brought hundreds of people to a Willenhall church to pay their final respects.

The funeral of Hubert Clee saw people from all over the traveller community and from as far away as Scotland and France travel to the Life and Light Christian Centre in Willenhall town centre.

It was an emotional day for everyone who knew Mr Clee, who passed away on March 4 aged 89, including his four children and 96 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with the church filling up on the ground level and in the elevated pews.

There were trucks outside containing different tributes to Mr Clee, including floral tributes from his grandchildren and memorials to his love of cowboys, particularly John Wayne, while some of those in attendance had come by horse and cart.

Mr Clee’s hearse had travelled from his home in Great Wyrley, where he had laid in state for the night before the funeral, with his family sitting with him overnight.

Mr Clee’s family paid their own emotional tribute to him, talking about his faith and how he had spread God’s word, even in the days leading up to his death, and said he was a genuinely loving man and well-respected by all who knew him.

The tribute said: “Our dad was a born again Christian for 43 years.

“He was a deacon in Willenhall church and also a treasurer, but he gave up being a treasurer to care for his wife Coralina with her ongoing illness.

“He was one of the first to start Light and Life missionary back in 1982 in the uk beside Davy Jones, Abraham Howard, Jackie Boyd, and Fred Smith.

“How Hubert Clee started God’s work in England was by gathering the gypsy and traveller community and spreading the word of God alongside his other brothers in Christ, which they would do by working together in unity by finding places to gather many people to hear God‘s word.

“This would include gathering in Marquis which, over the years, went from hundred of people gathering to thousands of people gathering from the Marquis as the work grew and there are now many churches of Light and Life all over the UK.

“Hubert Clee was a organiser and a founder for Light and Life helping to organise whatever needed, like tense chairs, tapes and CDs and many other things to keep the work going.

“He lived his life that was pleasing to God. Where ever he went he was always spreading the word of God to both travellers and non-travellers.

“That was his main missionary to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hubert Clee also done a lot of unseen work that he never boasted about.

“His character was known nationwide for the gentleman he was.

“He did work in India and Romania doing missionary work and carried on to do so for many years later with his brothers in Christ from France,

“Hubert Clee was a man of integrity and was also a father of four children in Caroline Smith, Jhon Clee, Hubert Clee and Kathleen Jones.

“He was a grandfather to 96 grandchildren, including his great grandchildren, and he dedicated all of his grandchildren onto the Lord Jesus, so he was a man of authority and was well respected.

“He was known throughout many countries and had a very good reputation.

“He was not just known by gypsies and travellers, but was also known by non-travelling people for being the man he was with a loving caring heart.

“Hubert Clee suffered with his health for a lot of years but this did not hinder him doing his work for God until the day he passed away and he was a true and faithful saving and will always be remembered for the legend he was.”

“Matthew 25vs23: well done good and faithful servant.”