Mr Raymond Frost.
A FORMER welfare officer of the Island’s Burma Star Association, who was thought to be one of the oldest paragliding pilots in Britain, has died, aged 89.
Raymond Frost, of Cherryside, Lake, died at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, on January 12.
Mr Frost was born in Peterborough, where he attended King’s School before signing up as an apprentice engineer in the Royal Navy on his 17th birthday on September 3, 1939 — the day war was declared on Germany.
He served on aircraft carriers until he was posted to the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. After his time in the navy, he worked as a research development engineer at Normalair in Yeovil (a subsidiary of Westland Aircraft).
Mr Frost founded an importing business, trading in Indian wood and brassware to independent gift shops and department stores throughout the south west. His first wife, Eileen, died in 1976 and he later married Phyllis before retirement to the IW in 1988, where he joined the Burma Star Association as welfare officer.
Mr and Mrs Frost enjoyed travelling and took every opportunity to indulge in a love of social ballroom dancing. Mr Frost’s adventurous spirit lured him to Sandown airfield and, after a trial flight, he decided on paragliding. Well into his 70s, he became what is thought to be one of the oldest paragliding pilots in the UK.
At almost 80, he broke his leg in a rabbit hole and, in a separate incident, he also became entangled in overhead power lines, peppering his wing with holes from the sparks.
Declining eyesight forced him to stop driving but he continued first to potter around on a small motorbike and then on an electric bicycle, so he could retain his independence.
He continued to love dancing and was often first on the dance floor. Phyllis died in 2009.
Mr Frost is survived by his children, Susan and Louis, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
His funeral takes place on Tuesday, at 2pm, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake.
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