Obituary: Roy Woodhead

Roy Woodhead

Roy Woodhead, 89, of Milnrow, passed away peacefully on the morning of 1 July 2024, at home. Roy was born on 19 January 1935, in Rochdale, Lancashire, to Robert Claude and Evelyn Woodhead. After Rochdale Grammar School in 1950, he was lucky enough to get on an apprenticeship with R. S. Howarth & Co. Ltd, as a trainee radio engineer. Once qualified, he was drafted into the R.A.F as a radio engineer on their aircraft.

Roy dedicated over 50 years of his life to fixing and fettling radios, televisions, and anything electrical to be honest. After quite a stint with Howarths, Roy and a few friends from there set up their own business. Roy specialised in that new fangled technology called television and opened Rochdale Television Services in the early 1970s on Spotland Road. He carried on working there until about 2012.

Roy was married to Sheila in 1958 and had two sons: Roy Jnr in 1959 and Paul in 1965. Sadly Sheila passed away in 2001, and Roy continued to miss her all the way up to his passing. He had three grandchildren who he really loved and was proud of: Tom, Georgia and Freya. He also leaves behind two of his three sisters, Mavis and Glenys. Edith, his eldest sister, passed away a few years prior.

Roy’s funeral will be held at Rochdale Crematorium on Tuesday 16 July 2024, at 2.00pm. The cortege will be leaving from Dixon’s Funeral Service, Manchester Road. Please arrive there at about 1.30pm if you would like to pay your respects and leave from there. Donations are welcome for Springhill Hospice.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to the caregivers at Springhill Hospice at Home, Cherish Healthcare and Routes Healthcare, for their compassionate care.

Roy will be remembered as a dutiful, honest to goodness human being: dedicated to his family, his home, and his colleagues.