Tributes paid to dedicated priest

12:03pm Friday 16th May 2008

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LAST respects are to be paid to a retired priest at his funeral in York.

The Rev Douglas Pike, 95, who preached at parishes across North Yorkshire, died peacefully in hospital on May 9.

Mr Pike served at churches in Askham Richard, Healaugh, Wighill, Malton and Bilbrough during a 40-year career.

Mr Pike began his training for the church as far back as 1937 but his studies were interrupted by the Second World War.

He joined the Royal Air Force and was serving in Sri Lanka when he met his beloved wife, Joyce, who was there at the time working for the Woman's Royal Naval Service. The couple married in Colombo, Sri Lanka's largest city, in 1945.

After returning to Britain, Mr Pike resumed his training for the church. He was ordained in 1948 and served in the Wakefield, Barnsley and Bradford dioceses, and a number of other towns in Yorkshire, until he retired in 1973, when he and his wife moved to Thirsk.

But after three years of retirement, Mr Pike decided to return to resume parish duties and in 1976, he went to work as priest in charge of a parish near Birdsall, a job he held for ten years before retiring for a second time.

Mr Pike retired in 1986 and moved with his wife, Joyce to live in Rufforth, near York, to spend more time with his children and grandchildren.

However, throughout the last 22 years Mr Pike has continued to help at parishes across the region and is a familiar face to many.

Family, friends and colleagues are to attend a funeral service, held at Rufforth Parish Church, on Tuesday, at 2pm.

Donations can be given to the Salvation Army in memory of Mr Pike.