THE Island’s first mobile librarian, Edward Satherley, has died, aged 94.
Mr Satherley was born in Wales in 1922 and had four brothers and a sister.
He moved with his family to the Island in 1934 and attended Newport Grammar School.
In 1938, at 16, Mr Satherley left school to work at the Seely Library.
He worked there until he was called up, aged 19, to serve in the Second World War. He saw heavy fighting and fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944.
After the war, he stayed in Italy to help with the reconstruction but moved back to the Island in 1949 to work on the Island’s first mobile library.
Mr Satherley enjoyed driving around the Island and helping residents in rural areas with their book choices.
Through his job as a librarian, he met his wife, Betty, and married her at St John’s Church, Newport, in 1954.
He had two children, Joanne — who died when she was 17 — and Richard.
He also leaves a grandson, Thomas.
In his leisure time, Mr Satherley enjoyed sports, such as football and cricket. He continued to play snooker into later life, as part of an over-55 league.
His funeral will be held at 12.45pm on Monday, February 13, at the IW Crematorium.