A MAN whose life has been Crediton and its people for more than 50 years died on March 19, aged 77.

The funeral service for Winston "Wink" Bilcock is to be held at Crediton Parish Church on Friday, April 13 at 2pm, followed by interment in Crediton Cemetery.

Wink was born in Huntingdon then Huntingdonshire, now Cambridgeshire, in 1940. He joined the Royal Navy in 1957 serving on HMS Blackwood, HMS Plymouth (he was a member of the HMS Plymouth Association which tried to save her for Plymouth and to stop her from being broken up) and HMS Whitby.

She was his last ship, taking him to the Far East at the time of President Sukarno and Indonesia which was when Wink gained his medals.

By this time Wink and June had married. June is from Taw Green near Okehampton and they marred at Crediton Parish Church in 1962. Wink was father to two sons, their daughter came later.

Wink worked with the Economic Forestry Group, an arm of the Forestry Commission on landscaping, then was asked if he would like to open an ATS depot in Crediton.

He did in 1971, staying at the Mill Street premises for 24 years, entering a good float in Crediton Carnival every October. Phil Marks took over from Wink at ATS.

Wink played darts for years, as did his wife. He was chairman of Crediton Darts League.

In 1992 Wink was involved in an accident that resulted in his losing part of a leg, but he got back to walking, continued doing the garden he loved, winning prizes.

With his wife, June, Wink leaves three children, Wayne, Graham and Nadine plus their spouses and children.

They had five grandchildren and a great-grandchild is due in May.

Wink and June lived in Mill Street and then to Winswood, where they lived for 47 years.

The couple had been married for 57 years.

Wink was a member of BLESMA, a charity for serving and ex-Service men and women who have lost limbs or the use of a limb. He was proud to attend the Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph in London for several years. The retiring collection at the funeral service will be in aid of BLESMA in lieu of flowers.