The Town Council is very sad to announce the sudden death of Terry Luker, a very popular, hard-working, and much respected Town Councillor.
Terry joined the Council as a co-opted member of the Footpaths Committee on 29th June 2010, an interest he continued throughout his time with the Council, helping with the footpath surveys and generously sharing his extensive local knowledge. His interest in local issues encouraged him to join the Council as a Town Councillor on 23rd April 2012 after which he was successfully elected in at every local election. He was the Deputy Mayor of Wotton Under Edge and Vice Chair of the Town Council from May 2015 to May 2017, and Chairman of the Town Council Planning Committee from May 2015 to April 2017, and was also on the Allotments Committee for many years during which improvements were made to the main entrance and the water supply at New Road. He was also involved for much of his time with Youth Services provision, and was the Town Council representative to the Synwell Playing Fields Association.
He was a true Wottonian and loved Wotton Under Edge and the surrounding area, and the people that lived and worked here. His local knowledge was invaluable and he was well known and approachable which meant many residents brought their queries and concerns to him and he would duly raise these at Council meetings to get the action requested. He was particularly supportive of Synwell and the Playing Fields, pushing for better maintenance of the banks, hedges, lighting, and improved parking on the highways,
Terry was also a family man who with his wife Jen, lived in Wotton all of their lives. They had two children who attended the local schools. He worked locally at South Gloucestershire Council and at Cotswold Collotype and had many an interesting tale to tell of his experiences there. Cotswold Collotype was the last remaining print firm in the country using the Collotype process. It demanded the printers have the qualities of an artist with the prints being exact copies of original paintings. Terry was highly skilled and picked for the intricate job of printing the eyes for artificial eyes where the tints and tones were so exacting. The fine art prints were exact copies and of such a high standard that when he was asked to do reproductions of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the customer requested a fault to be included because the prints could be passed on as the real thing.
He was also renowned for his love of local history and collection of old photographs and in 2002 published a book ‘The Synwell Side of Town’ which was well received, copies of which are available at the Cotswold Bookroom book shop in the town, all proceeds being donated to Synwell Playing Fields Association.
He enjoyed sport and played in Wotton Rovers Football Club and when retired was then a Committee member. He also loved playing skittles at the Synwell Sports and Social Club.
Terry was popular in the Town Council and respected for his knowledge and his determination to improve the facilities and the environment of the town. He rarely missed a meeting in thirteen years as a Councillor. He had a wicked sense of humour and cared deeply about the town, the Town Council, and people. He is already greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
His funeral is to be held on Tuesday 31st October 2023 with a service at St Mary’s Church at 11.30am, followed by Westerleigh Crematorium at 1.15pm. The Town Council Office will be closed that day out of respect and to allow attendance at the funeral.
