News
Owlsmoor councillor dies after short illness
23 December 2009
Well-known and highly respected Bracknell Forest borough councillor Raymond Simonds has died in hospital (Thursday, December 17) after a short illness. Cllr Simonds, 73, who represented Owlsmoor ward and was also a member of Sandhurst Town Council, lived in Sandhurst. He was first elected to the council in 1983. Among his many recent duties he was vice-chairman of the Corporate Parenting Advisory Panel and served on the Children's Services & Learning Overview and Scrutiny Panel. He was a great countryside supporter and served on the Local Countryside Access Forum. He was also well-known at the Look In Cafe in Bracknell town centre, where he worked at the Older People's Champion's surgeries. Cllr Simonds, who was married to Margaret, had lived in Bracknell for many years and used to work at the Met Office. Until six weeks before his death he was working part-time at his local Homebase store in Sandhurst. Outside his council duties, he enjoyed watching sport,, travel gardening, arts and the theatre, wildlife and the countryside. Council leader Cllr Paul Bettison said: "Ray was a real trooper, who served his electors selflessly. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and colleagues throughout Bracknell Forest, and our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and especially to his wife, Margaret." His friend and fellow ward councillor David Worrall said: "Ray was a joy to work with because he was reliable and very knowledgeable. He was also a loyal friend and was greatly respected by the residents in his ward and by his fellow councillors at both Bracknell Forest and Sandhurst Town Councils." The funeral will be held on Friday, January 8, 2010 at Easthampstead Park Crematorium at 2.15 pm. Family flowers only, with donations to the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust.
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