HUNDREDS of mourners gathered to pay their last respects to popular Chirk resident Steve Poppit.
A funeral service for Mr Poppit was held at Chirk Methodist Church on Friday where family and friends attended in huge numbers after the 58-year-old father of two’s death from a heart attack the previous week.
There was standing room only as hundreds of people turned out to say goodbye to the “kind and caring” Chirk man. The church was so full many had to remain in the car park as there was not enough room inside.
Colleagues from Kronospan, where Mr Poppit was one of the longest serving employees, lined up forklift trucks in a guard of honour along the road with another positioned outside the church.
The service opened with a moving rendition of The Lord is my Shepherd and Rev David Watkin said: “Steve’s kind and caring character is reflected by how many people are here today.”
Mr Poppit’s brother Deryn, a fellow Kronospan worker, read a moving poem which described a devoted husband and dad who loved to “tinker under the bonnet,” ride motorbikes and visit car boot sales.
The moving speech ended with Deryn revealing how he “could not be prouder” of his beloved brother.
Mr Poppit, who was born in Llangollen but moved to Chirk with his family when he was 18-months-old, leaves his wife of 35 years Jane and their two daughters Marie, 32, and 28-year-old Mandy.
He also leaves brother Deryn, 43, and sister Joyce, 54.
The order of service read “Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a dad”.
Donations were given to Chirk Community Hospital’s scanner appeal.