Mrs Frances Rhodes, the mother of our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, who was well known to many past and present team members, sadly passed away on Saturday 12th July 2014, aged 84 years, after a long illness with Alzheimer’s.

Frances was a great supporter of the Bolton MRT, attending with her husband Vernon, who survives her, a great many team functions over the years, the culmination of which was accompanying her son, our Team Leader Garry to Buckingham Palace, alongside Vernon and Garry’s partner Ann, for his MBE Investiture in the presence of the Queen in May 2008.

Many team members past and present will know Frances (and Vernon) from our Annual Team Dinners, when with good humour, she could always be guaranteed to bring our Team Leaders speeches to a temporary halt, and then much to Garry’s embarrassment, start to regale all present with yet another little anecdote about our Team Leader.

Today eleven Team Call Out list members, including our Chairman Craig Lamb, President Bob Hutchinson and Life Vice President Alan James, Support Group member and Team Secretary Gillian Gregory and former team members Di James and Geoff Yates, joined the family and friends of the late Frances Rhodes at her funeral service held at St John’s the Baptist Church, Algernon Road, Walkden, commencing at 11am.

This was followed by her cremation service at Peel Green Cemetery and Crematorium, Eccles, at 12.30pm and then a buffet at the Ellesmere Sports Club, Walkden Road, Worsley, from 1.30pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations were received for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Garry, our Team Leader, his brother Andrew, their dad Vernon, and family would all like to thank those team members who attended today, and those who have sent messages and kind cards of condolence since Frances passed away on Saturday 12th July 2014.