The family of Mike Williams writes…
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Michael Williams.
Michael – or “Mike” as he was known to most of us – was a resident of Lapworth for 40 years and throughout this time he was an integral part of village life.
He was born in Bramhall, Cheshire in 1938 and lived there until leaving for Swansea University to study engineering, followed by a Masters degree at Sheffield.
As a young adult – as in the rest of his life – Mike was full of energy. He always had a project underway and had a flair for leadership and organization. In his early years, this was mainly focused on boats. He started the sailing club at Swansea University and then later organised a group of friends to build a yacht in the back garden of his parents’ home.
It was during this period that Mike met Di in 1961. They were married in 1966 and were together for 56 years.
In 1969, he got a new job as Assistant Chief Engineer at an air-compressor company called Whittaker Hall in Lancashire. The family moved to Bury to be nearer work and they lived there for over ten years.
In 1981 his work took him to another engineering company – Hydrovane in Redditch – where he led the team that developed a new type of air compressor that won the Queen’s Award for Innovation and was a big commercial success.
With the new job, the family moved to Lapworth and Mike immediately got involved in village life – starting with the Lapworth Players. His first role was backstage, building a set of fluted pillars for a production of Pygmalion. From that day on his skills were often called upon for tricky set-building challenges. But he wasn’t limited to the backstage. He took leading acting roles in productions of “Hobson’s Choice”, “Separate Tables” and many others.
Mike spent a lifetime engaged in the village and the wider community. He was closely involved in social clubs, sailing clubs, Scouts, the Church, the Village Hall – the list goes on. He felt that contributing time and energy to local activities was what brought a community to life and he put this into action everywhere he lived.
In 1989, he started his own business called Airpacks – an enterprise that many of us will remember fondly. It was born in the garage but soon graduated to the old Bake House at the bottom of Mill Lane and eventually moved to Holly Farm Business Park.
Airpacks was the most enjoyable phase of Mike’s career. He launched and built a successful business that employed local people and fostered a strong team spirit.
He and Di sold the business in 2000 and were able to enjoy a very productive retirement. The first project was – of course – a new boat that he named Five Seasons. It was kept on the south coast and visited regularly together with many fellow sailors from Lapworth and beyond. At the helm of the boat in the middle of the Solent on a breezy Spring afternoon, he was in his element.
Mike was a family man. He was a strong believer in the importance of a close family – the strength that comes from love and support within and across the generations. He was always keen to hear – from both family and friends – the latest news, the most recent project or the next holiday. He was also wonderful with children. When given the job of entertaining grandchildren for an afternoon, he would take on the task with energy, imagination and endless patience.
Mike was also a lot of fun. Those of us who remember Airpacks will recall the jokes and laughter that filled the workshop. At home, he always had a well-stocked cellar. Offers of afternoon drinks were frequently preceded by an announcement that “the sun was over the yard-arm” – a nautical expression that mystified many visitors – particularly those who had never set foot on a yacht.
He was always on the look-out for the next adventure. When his yachting days were behind him, he and Di explored the world on cruise ships. They went to the Black Sea, the Caribbean, Singapore, South Africa, both the Suez and the Panama canals – the list of places they visited is long and exotic. He also loved caravanning with Di. Together they explored Britain and further afield, with a caravan tour of New Zealand where they met people who became firm friends to this day.
Mike had a long and productive life, dedicated to the things that he knew were most important – a close and loving family, a wonderful home, good friends, working hard and having fun.