11/11/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Former Chairman or Rural Council passes away

THE three times Chairman of Llanelli Rural Council, Reg Soady has died, following a major stroke in recent days.

Reg Soady retired from public life after having two strokes in quick succession nearly 9 years ago.

He served on Llanelli Rural Council for 25 years until he was defeated in the post Iraq War Election, which saw Tony Blair’s Labour Party decimated in the Council elections. Having served as Chairman three times and Vice Chairman four times, he was due to take up the “chains of office” again, had he not lost his Council seat. During his time on the Council he also served numerous terms as Chairman of the Llanelli Joint Burial Authority, where he was instrumental in securing a Crematorium for Llanelli.

After his time as a Councillor, he continued to serve as Chairman of Governors for Ysgol Y Felin in Felinfoel, a position which he held for over 25 years and that fully involved him in the school. He continued to serve the community of Felinfoel at this time by his involvement with the Hospital and Plas League of Friends, the Family Centre, Friends of Felinfoel committee and helping with social activities such as calling bingo at Ty Mair care home.

He is a former Church Warden of Holy Trinity, Felinfoel, and the Inaugural Parish Warden of the then newly formed Llanelli-wide Benefice. He served for many years as Treasurer of the Llanelli Committee of the Children’s Society. Earlier, he had been a key Committee Member of the local RAFA Club during the time it built and moved into a new purpose-built clubhouse.

Not all Reg Soady’s Community activities were Committee based. For many years, Christmas morning would see him wandering around the village dressed as Father Christmas, bringing joy to young children and the lonely elderly alike. This, alongside church, was Christmas to him.

Reg Soady leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Joan, and three children; Mark, Nick and Jayne, as well as his sister and brother and four grandchildren.

Speaking on behalf of the family, the eldest son Canon Mark Soady said ” We shall be eternally grateful for the care showed to my father by the staff in ward 9 and the chaplain at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli.”

Funeral Requiem: 10am on May 16th at Holy Trinity Church, Felinfoel

 

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