Tributes paid to popular garage owner

Garage customers send cards of condolence to owner's wife

Tributes paid to popular garage owner
Jeff Barber with wife Eunice. Son Gavin with Alison and 9-month-old Michael. Image: Rick Matthews.

Tributes have been paid to a popular father-of-three who owned a garage in Hope, Flintshire.

Jeff Barber, owner of Smithy Garage in Hawarden Road, died peacefully on May 17 at the age of 78, the Leader Live has reported.

Mr Barber had been struggling with a heart condition which had worsened in recent months.

His wife Eunice said: “Jeff had endocarditis and he’d had two operations on his heart to replace valves.

“Since the second one, about two years ago, he hasn’t been well.”

She said she met her husband, who was born in Birmingham, when they both worked at Anchor Motors in Wrexham during the late 1970’s – Mr Barber as general manager and Mrs Barber at the petrol station.

Three years later they married and in 1984 they bought Smithy Garage in Hope.

Garage life

Mrs Barber said: “He loved it in the garage – he was really a seven-day-a-week man.

“He enjoyed meeting people from the community and talking to them.

“He was always very popular with his customers and had a good rapport with them – especially the elderly.

“It was his life and even when he became ill he tried to carry on working.

“He just didn’t want to retire.

“The amount of cards I have had from people who say they just enjoyed going into the garage to speak to him is amazing.

“He was kind, considerate and thoughtful – but like a bottle of pop.

“He was always one to speak his mind and if he had an opinion he would let you know about it.”

Mr Barber’s funeral is to take place at Wrexham Crematorium at 1.30pm on Thursday.

Friends of Mr Barber are welcome to attend – flowers immediate family only, donations to British Heart Foundation.

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