PEOPLE in Abergavenny were shocked to hear of the sudden death on Saturday of Bill Foulser, just seven months after his wife Jane, mayor of the town in 2011 - 12, died reports LESLEY FLYNN.

Bill, who would have been 86 in June, had a heart attack at his home in St George’s Crescent, and died with his daughter Jane and son-in-law Angus McFarlane by his side. He was at home with his live-in carer Barbara Walkley when he collapsed.

His daughter said, "Dad never really recovered from losing mum."

She praised Barbara for her devotion to her parents and also deputy carers Helen Taylor and Daniel Morgan.

An East Ender, Bill was born in Hackney and met Jane at Cwrt y Gollen Army Camp, Crickhowell when he was a physical training instructor in the army during his national service. They kept in touch after he returned to London and married in 1961.

His mother was a prison warder at Holloway and was on night watch on Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain. She then became a bailiff at the Old Bailey and was working there when it was hit by a bomb during the Second World War. She was the first woman to be honoured with the Freedom of the City of London for her work.

After his marriage Bill worked at Cooper’s factory in Llanfoist where Jane worked in the office, then he ran the Bailey Park open air swimming pool after the retirement of Joe Dyer. During the winter he was employed as a roads inspector for Abergavenny Borough Council.

In 1974 when Abergavenny’s new leisure centre opened he was appointed as a supervisor and he worked there until his retirement.

He and Jane ran the Porpoise swimming club for children in a voluntary capacity and taught thousands of children to swim. They helped Gillian James set up the Musketeers Swimming Club for the Disabled. He helped his friend Doug Howells run Crickhowell Youth Club where he taught the youngsters how to play badminton.

He enjoyed playing snooker in the Constitutional Club after he retired and was Jane’s consort when she was deputy chairman of Monmouthshire County Council in 2008-09 and the following year when she became chairman. He was at her side during her term of office as mayor in 2011 - 12. He was always very close to her two brothers Tony and David as his own sister emigrated to Australia in the 1960s.

Jane has organised a ball at the Angel Hotel in Abergavenny on Saturday in memory of her mum to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. This will still go ahead despite Bill’s death. The funeral arrangements will be announced later this week.