Farewell to swim teacher

4:02pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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THE FUNERAL of a legendary swimming teacher who taught children to wade water for more than a decade will take place tomorrow.

Jack Painter, formerly of Manor Road, Wheathampstead, died aged 76 on April 23 from vasculitis, a disease affecting the lungs.

His wife Nancy is now inviting those who knew him to bid him farewell at a service in West Herts Crematorium, Garston at 4pm.

Jack, who was also a keen diver and long-standing member of the Ilford Diving Club in Essex, helped teach hundreds of children and adults to swim over the last ten years at the school, held every Monday evening at Marlborough school in Watling Street.

Nancy, who opened the swim school more than 30 years ago, said: "We have swam all our lives.

"He was into swimming, mostly diving and water polo, so it was a natural thing that we started our up the swimming school.

"We loved the sport and we got an awful lot of satisfaction teaching children because they love to swim."

"He was hard working and conscientious about everything," she added.

"It will be a big loss obviously to myself and to the swim school."