Tributes paid to keen Roiyal British Legion member
He was a talented footballer, boxer and businessman who supported the Royal British Legion for years and was loved by everyone who met him.
Today, tributes were paid to Ken Stallard, who has died aged 81.
Mr Stallard suffered a heart attack and collapsed while shopping at the Co-op supermarket in Merry Hill, Wolverhampton, on December 20.
His relatives today thanked staff at the shop who rushed to his aid.
Father-of-four Mr Stallard, of Leasowes Drive, Merry Hill, was well known for his love of sport and his work at the Royal British Legion.
After national service with the 7th Royal Tank Regiment in Scotland from 1950 to 1952 he joined the Royal British Legion's Penn branch, where he sat on various committees.
Mr Stallard also helped to support the Legion's remembrance services until the closure of the branch.
His brother Roy, 79, of Windsor Avenue, Penn, said Mr Stallard was 'a great supporter of the British Legion'.
He said: "It was a large part of his life. He was extremely popular. Everyone spoke warmly of Ken."
Mr Stallard had 10 brothers and sisters, eight of whom are still alive and still living in the Penn area.
Mr Stallard attended St Stephen's CofE Primary School in Springfield, before going on to St Peter's Collegiate School. He was also a keen sportsman, boxing in the Army and for Wolverhampton Amateur Boxing Club.
His football skills earned him a place in the West Midlands Regional Football League playing for Lower Gornal and Warstones and also in Penn RBL's football team.
After national service, he spent most of his career working as an engineer at Lucas Aerospace in Wolverhampton, before establishing a small engineering firm of his own, Stalfer, in Blakenhall.
He leaves his wife of almost 60 years, Lilian, children Valerie, Lesley, Kenneth and Carol, and six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
His daughter Lesley Ward said: "We would like to pay tribute to the staff at Co-op in Merry Hill, who really did their very best for my father."