IN his lifetime Roy Webber saw probably the biggest changes in farming with the introduction of technology, farms expanding and all reflected in his work.

Coming from a farming family, then agricultural training and joining the family firm, Edwin Tucker and Sons, Roy continued to be involved almost until his death at the age of 92 on June 7.

The funeral service at Crediton Parish Church was private due to Covid restrictions.

Roy Maurice Browne Webber was born at Penton, Crediton, the son of Maurice and Doris Webber.

Both his parents were from farming families, his father’s from North Tawton and mother’s from Newton St Cyres.

His father saw service in World War One but, having suffered a mustard gas attack, found the dusty environment of the farm difficult and, instead, joined one of his Devon Yeomanry comrades in a firm of agricultural and seed merchants, Edwin Tucker and Sons from Ashburton.

Roy grew up at Penton, his son Jonathan remembers his father saying he could see the glow of Exeter burning after bombing raids on the city during the last World War and that one night a large bomb landed very near the house, blowing out all their windows.

He went to Blundells School in Tiverton, representing Blundells in tennis and cross country. Before his final year, his father had arranged for Roy to go to Seale Hayne Agricultural College in Newton Abbot, which included two years working on a farm at Totnes, even ploughing with horses.

When he returned to help his father, Tucker’s had opened a store at the bottom of Jockey Hill at Crediton in a former pub and maltings (Horse and Jockey), later moving to where it is now on Commercial Road.

After school and college Roy continued to enjoy tennis, entering local tournaments and becoming fixtures secretary at Victoria Park Tennis Club in Exeter. He also played squash at Exeter Airport and became a life member of the Downes Crediton Golf Club when it opened in 1975.

Through friends he met Mary Hall, a nurse at the old Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. They were married in June 1957, celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary four years ago.

They have three children, the eldest, Jonathan, joined his father at Tucker’s, daughter Jo who followed her mother into nursing and son Nicholas (Father Nilus), a monk in the ancient Monastery of Saint Catherine in Egypt.

Three generations have now been involved in Tucker’s for 100 years and, with Jonathan’s nine grandchildren, it looks as if the tradition is set to continue.

Initially Roy conducted business at markets, visited the farms, would walk the crops and was involved with the Corn Trade Association, being local chairman for a time.

Jonathan said that as farming changed, so did the business, now concentrating more on the pet and garden side but still very much dealing with agricultural needs.

The firm used to have six representatives out on the road and 12 lorries, everything was in one hundredweight or half hundredweight bags, a farm with a 50-cow dairy herd was considered big. Such big changes have taken place during Roy’s lifetime.

One of his great passions was the large garden at their Penton home which Roy used to maintain but in later years had help but he still took a great interest until his death.

Donations may be made in his memory for FORCE Cancer Charity c/o A White and Sons, Albert Road, Crediton EX17 2BZ.

With his widow and three children, Roy leaves four grandchildren and nine great grand children.