Warwick Lion dies suddenly

David Ernest Wright, 71, was in good health but after choking on a piece of meat friends were unable to resuscitate him and by the time he arrived at hospital and the meat removed it was too late.

Mr Wright is a familiar face throughout the town having been heavily involved with the Warwick Lions club since 1987, and spending a great deal of time and effort in charity fundraising over the years for charities such as Myton Hospice.

His neighbour in the village of Lighthorne Peter Amis organised the funeral which was held yesterday in St Laurence’s Church.

He said: “He was best man at my wedding and I have known him for 33 years. Everybody in the village is mourning.

“He was very good with people and was a character. He wasn’t somebody that made a big issue of everything, but was always cheerful and never grumpy.

“I think it typifies him that two teenage lads asked if they could come to the funeral because he had always stopped to chat to them about rugby.”

Mr Wright was born in Watford but moved around a lot in his childhood, living in Scotland and Wales, when he became a very patriotic Welshman and rugby fan.

He then studied at Cambridge University, before work brought him to Warwick, and he married three times - his third wife Marcia passed away two years ago.

Mr Amis added: “He was very witty and intelligent, and very quick, and will be sadly missed by a lot of people.

“He was a very generous man, and donated to a lot of charities. He had his principles and he stuck to them.”

You can donate to his chosen charities through R. Locke & Son on 640386.