Tributes paid to charity motorcyclist (From York Press)

Tributes paid to charity motorcyclist Keith Beever

9:50am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved family man and keen motorcyclist who died suddenly only minutes after returning home from a charity biking event.

Keith Beever, 60, a keen supporter of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, had been to a charity biking event at Sherburn-in-Elmet, and had returned to his home in Byland Avenue, York.

But minutes later he collapsed and despite the efforts of paramedics, was pronounced dead shortly after.

His stepdaughter, Donna Harper, 43, said Keith, a father and grandfather, suffered a heart attack.

She paid tribute to the popular family man.

She said: “He had just been out on his motorbike for a fundraiser.

“He got back and five minutes later he was dead. Paramedics came, but he was pronounced dead at home.

“He had always done fundraising for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and he had been at the first day of a two-day event.

“We were all going to together on the Sunday but we all decided to go anyway.

“At first we thought it would be hard but we knew they had taken a picture of all the bikes that attended and we managed to find Keith’s.”

Donna told how her step-father’s biking had been limited to a moped until his son, Gary, bought a motorbike, inspiring Mr Beever to buy one so the pair could go riding together.

When his grandson also got a motorbike, the three generations would go riding together near Mr Beever’s native Bradford. Mr Beever moved to York 24 years ago, after meeting his wife, Janet.

His packed funeral last Wednesday at York Crematorium saw £600 raised for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and his family hope to hand over the cheque in the coming days.

Donna said: “He was a quiet bloke, but he used to torment the life out of everyone. He was a good-natured bloke and a nice person to know. He was a lovely man.”