EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

haVe you lost a relative or friend in recent months whose life you’d like to celebrate? our Friday column tells the stories of ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives. email your 500-word tribute and a favourite photo to: lives@dailymail.co.uk or write to: extraordinary lives, scottish daily Mail, 20 waterloo street, Glasgow G2 6db. Please include a contact phone number.

PETER grew up in Mansfield, Notts, and aged 18, he followed his father into the RAF. He was a loadmaster, responsible for the loading and transport of cargoes on the Comet 2 jet. In his 37 years of service, he flew all over the world, visiting 47 countries. He was crew on flights with the Royal Family, including the Queen. His favourite Royal was Princess Alexandra because she was so natural and friendly. We met by chance in 1963. My sister and her husband, who was also in the RAF, were living in Singapore and became acquainted with Peter. They asked him to deliver a package to me on his return to Britain. He agreed and visited me in Bath, where I was working for the city council. We liked each other right away and a year later we married. Peter was based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, so we set up home in nearby Calne, where our children

Stephen, Caroline and Robert were born. In 1978, Peter was posted to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and we settled in the market town of Faringdon. When Peter retired at 55, he could indulge his real passion — close-up magic. He put on shows at local events and was a member of the local amateur dramatic society. Peter was an extrovert and a real character, so he was the obvious choice to play eccentric aristocrat Lord Berners, who had lived at historic Faringdon House in the 1930s. He famously kept pigeons that he dyed various colours. Peter would dress up with a fake pink pigeon attached to his bowler hat. One local lady would curtsey to him whenever she bumped into him on the street or at the shops. At his funeral, friends paid tribute to his involvement in the local community, his career in the RAF and his love of entertainment. My overwhelming emotion was one of great pride that my talented husband had left such a lovely, happy legacy for the people of our little town and for all who knew him.

Peter MorninGton wentworth, born september 17, 1940; died January 6, 2023, aged 82.