DEATHS AND OBITUARIES
Nigel Mertens ( 77-80 ) was born on 2 August 1964 in Peterborough . He was a much-loved son of Arni and Marjorie , and brother of Stephen . The family relocated to Kirkella in the 1970s and Nigel attended Wolfreton Senior School . He moved to Pocklington School in 1977 and enjoyed his time there so much that he asked to become a full-time boarder .
After leaving school , Nigel joined the family business , Landau Holdings , a kitchen and bedrooms manufacturer in Hull , where he spent the last 40 years working alongside his father and brother .
Nigel settled in Beverley and when he wasn ’ t working , enjoyed holidaying in the sun and in particular skiing . He was an avid skier and it was one of his biggest joys .
Nigel was kind , warm , generous , funny , and positive . As husband to Carrie , father to James , Tiggy , Millie and Bella , and father-in-law of Dom and Lawrence , he was a devoted family man . He adored his grandchildren – Eva , Rosie , Isaac , Freddie , Oscar , and India – and they adored him , constantly brightening his world .
Nigel died on 1 June 2024 aged 59 after a heroic battle with cancer lasting five years . He spent the last six weeks of his life surrounded by his family and friends . He was amazing throughout his final weeks and found comfort in the love and support he received .
He will be remembered for his outgoing personality and fun-loving nature and has left memories that his family will treasure forever .
( Carrie Mertens )
Brian Ormand Moore ( 49-55 ) was born in Willoughton on 21 February 1938 to Aileen and Ormand Moore , owners of the village shop and post office . He attended Pocklington School as a boarder in School House . Academically , he was written off as a non-achiever by one teacher who told him he would never do well in life . Brian proved them wrong with his O level results . The teacher apologised saying “ you did listen after all ”! Whilst at school , Brian enjoyed sport , in particular rugby and cricket .
After Pocklington , Brian did his national service before qualifying as a mechanic . A highlight in his career was working for Aston Martin for a period – something he was very proud of .
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In 1971 , Brian married Sue , and in 1973 the couple moved to Willoughton and took over the family shop and post office which they ran for 48 years until 2020 when it closed due to COVID . Brian and Sue decided to retire , and when the business was sold in 2021 , they moved to Kirton Lindsey near Gainsborough .
Brian ’ s passion for cars remained throughout his life . He loved rallying and competed in numerous rallies including the Lombard RAC and the Gulf rally , winning hundreds of trophies over the years .
Brian was a loyal OP and enjoyed visits back to school for the Summer Reunion and the Dinosaur Club Luncheon in Wetherby .
Brian was a loving father to Karen , Julie , and Alastair . He passed away peacefully at home with wife Sue and daughter Julie by his side .
Simon Ogram ( 56-60 ) was born in 1943 and brought up in Beverley . After his time at Pocklington , he joined the army as a regular soldier and was posted to Germany around the time when the Berlin Wall went up in 1961 . He trained at Sandhurst military college , where he excelled in boxing and was a keen rugby player . He went on to serve as a commissioned officer in the Duke of Wellington regiment . He left the army in 1966 and settled into family life in Yorkshire with four children . He joined Texaco where he worked as Sales Manager for a number of years . He also had a stint working on the oil rigs off Shetland – not a job for the fainthearted . When his first marriage ended , he eventually moved to London where he turned his hand to writing . He landed a job as a direct marketing copywriter with the renowned advertising company Ogilvy & Mather and then went on to work as a freelancer . In his forties he took up skydiving as a hobby – he always loved a thrill . He went on to have two more children and remarried .
He was a lifelong supporter of Hull City football club and often went to watch them when they visited the capital . In retirement , though , bird watching was his main pursuit , and he spent many happy times walking in the countryside and on the coastline of southern Britain , sometimes camping out .
He also took a great interest in WWII , particularly on the French Resistance . In his mid-sixties he went on an intrepid trek across the Pyrenees in the middle of winter . He was following in the footsteps of George Millar , a Scotsman who on escaping from the Nazis fell in with the French resistance , finally escaping from Perpignan over the Pyrenees into Spain in the winter of 1943 . Like George before him , Simon dug himself into the snow each night to sleep with just his habitual peanuts and the odd tin of baked beans . Those old army skills were never forgotten .
Despite his passion for walking and getting out in nature , in later life he unfortunately struggled with heart issues , which subsequently led to a fatal fall .
He died on 28 February 2022 . Sadly , his eldest daughter Elizabeth predeceased him . He is survived by his second wife , Jane , and his children Emily , Joanna , Henry , Theophania and Florence , four grandchildren and two great grandchildren .
( Jane Ogram )
Robert Olsen ( 67-74 ) sadly passed away on 26 May 2024 . He had many friends at school who will remember him as having a creative , and often “ offbeat ”, talent for the arts , especially screen printing , painting and photography . He used to enjoy his time in the , then , newly opened Arts Centre where several prints of his work would be displayed .
After leaving school he undertook an Arts Foundation Course at Hull College before moving onto to Salford College and graduating in Graphic Design . He had a successful career as a freelance graphic artist as well as being a partner in his own graphic arts company .
Robert designed the ‘ poppy ’ logo for The Alarm ’ s album “ Strength ”. This logo continues to be used to this day . Robert had a wry sense of humour and would often comment that he never got paid for this work , not that he minded at all .