Mr Robert Downer.
A SPORTSMANÂ who carried out voluntary work, Robert (Bob) Downer, has died, aged 79.
Mr Downer, of Hyde Road, Shanklin, was born on December 9, 1930, in Wroxall to Edward and Elizabeth Downer.
On leaving school, he took employment at Whitwell farm, working as a farmhand looking after the working horses.
In 1951 he joined Southern Vectis, where he worked his way up from conductor to traffic manager. On his retirement in 1992, he received a long service award for 41 years of dedicated service.
He married his wife, Anne, in 1954 and they had two children, Andrew, born in 1958, and Susan, born in 1961.
He was a member of the scouting world since a young man, first as a scout, then leader and eventually as IW commissioner for leader training. He also assisted with training leaders at the Gilwell Training Centre. He retired from the movement in 1995 after receiving a prestigious silver acorn award for long service.
Throughout his life he enjoyed playing a variety of sports, such as badminton, petanque and bowls. For the past two years he served consecutively as vice-president and then president of Shanklin Bowls Club.
He also drove Shanklin Age Concern bus every week, belonged to the Shanklin and District Historical Society and was president of the Vectis Philatelic Society.
A kind, quiet, unassuming and gentle man who always had time for others; he was well respected within the community and a pillar of strength to his family.
He leaves his wife, children and four grandchildren, Kevin, Sam, Laura and Rebecca.
His funeral will be held at the IW Crematorium, on Thursday, at noon.
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