Lancaster and Morecambe Newspapers stalwart passes away, aged 80

A stalwart of the Lancaster Guardian and Morecambe Visitor has passed away at the age of 80.
Ray Parkinson.Ray Parkinson.
Ray Parkinson.

Raymond Parkinson, known as Ray, died peacefully at St John's Hospice on Thursday May 21, aged 80.

Ray was the dearly loved husband of Patricia, much loved father of Eden and Christian and father-in-law to Michaela and Sue.

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He was also the loving 'Pop-Pops' of Scott, Jenna, Luca, Sophie and Chloe.

Ray will be sadly missed by all his family and friends, and also by all the locals who stopped to chat to him in his beautiful garden “on the corner” in Hest Bank and to admire the stone folly he built.

Ray worked for the Visitor and Lancaster Guardian for 30 years in total and was acknowledged by his peers as a “true gentleman”.

He originally worked at the Visitor offices in Victoria Street, Morecambe, and then went on to set up Morecambe Press, which is still operating on White Lund Industrial Estate.

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Former Visitor editor Mike Whalley said: "I knew Ray for some 60 years and for 20 of those had the privilege of working with him at The Visitor.

"He was a special kind of person, an integral part of a close-knit team responsible for publishing newspapers and magazines from the Victoria Street works.

"Cheerful, friendly and loyal, Ray was always more than happy to help colleagues and, thanks to his outstanding skills and professionalism, played a major role in ensuring the company’s success.

"A modern day printer, through and through."

Former editor of the Lancaster Guardian Anne Rothwell, who worked for the original Morecambe Press group at the same time as Ray, said: “He was a real gentleman in the true sense of the word – always kind, supportive and a solution-finder.

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"I really liked working with him because he always had a cool head in a crisis. He saved me several times over when I got into fixes! He was very highly regarded and extremely well thought of by all his colleagues.”

A private service will be held at Lancaster and Morecambe Crematorium on Tuesday June 9 at 2.30pm, with family flowers only, but donations in Ray's memory can be made to the North West Air Ambulance, which can be posted directly to North West Air Ambulance Charity, North Mersey Business Centre, Woodward Road, Knowsley, L33 7UY.