HIS wife and five children always knew Gerard Bannon was a kind-hearted family man.

But since the former Sacred Heart Primary School head teacher's death on February 19, they are now discovering his generosity towards his pupils too including buying rugby kits for those that could not afford it.

Wife Bernadette only found out after receiving cards from well-wishers and said the family have been flooded with beautiful tributes for the popular teacher who spent 41 years at the Selby Street school teaching countless generations of families.

She added: "He was a teacher at school but when he came home he was a dad and wouldn't talk about anything that had happened that day in school.

"He was very proud of any of his pupils not necessarily just the ones who had done well academically.

"He always said everybody has their own talent and is equally important."

Despite retiring 23 years ago after spending 28 years as head, the granddad-of-nine was still so well thought of at the school teachers arranged for pupils to sing carols outside his home in Great Sankey before Christmas last year.

Bernadette added: "We put a dining chair in the doorway as he was poorly then and the tears flowed.

"It was lovely and the children had tears in their eyes too as their mums and dads knew him and thought a lot of him."

 


Warrington born and bred, Gerard also went to Sacred Heart Primary School as a boy before meeting his wife through church organisation the Legion of Mary.

The couple had known each other for 10 years before they married at St Oswald's Church in Padgate 43 years ago and then had their five children in the space of seven years and four months.

When the Warrington Wolves season ticket holder was not in the classroom, he was out coaching his passion rugby league.

Having played at Crosfields works as a lad, he would still walk over to watch until he was aged 76 with a lot of the team having come from Sacred Heart.

Known for wearing his Irish green tracksuit and driving kids to games in his Volkswagen mini bus known as the 'Pop Mobile', Gerard was still refereeing games up to the age of 65 and was very active until he was diagnosed with vascular dementia two years ago.

He died peacefully at home two days before his 88th birthday with his family hosting a party for the grandchildren and releasing primrose and blue balloons.

Bernadette added: "They went flying off towards Sacred Heart school and hopefully ended up towards the stadium.

"We didn't want it to be a sad memory for the children as you can't be sad when somebody has lived such a long and happy life."

Gerard's funeral takes place this Friday, at 11am at Sacred Heart Church.