THE funeral takes place today of former Selby postmaster and bowls player Don Kay who during his lifetime went from delivering telegrams to sending text messages.

Born in Hunslet, near Leeds, on September 17, 1926, Mr Kay left school at 15 and passed the Civil Service entrance exam, allowing him to join the Post Office and become a telegraph messenger boy.

He later went back to university to study management, meaning he could progress within the Post Office.

He met his future wife, June, when he was 16, but in 1944 he joined the 3rd Hussars, serving in Palestine where he was injured by a landmine. Demobbed in 1948, he returned to the Post Office and married his wife at Whitkirk Church in Leeds in 1949.

The couple went on to have two daughters, Janet and Lesley.

In 1970, Mr Kay was made post master for Seaham Harbour in County Durham and eight years later he became postmaster for Selby, a position he held until his retirement in 1986 when he was awarded the Imperial Service Medal for his 45 years with the Post Office.

His daughter, Janet, said her father had made good use of his retirement. He and his wife travelled a lot and were very involved in local bowls teams.

Mr Kay played for Selby Bowling Club, Selby Park Bowling Club and York and District Indoor Bowls Club and he was a qualified umpire for the Yorkshire County Bowling Association. He was also a server at St Helen’s Church in Skipwith for 31 years and a collector of coins.

Janet added: “He was also determined to keep up with new technology so he learned how to text message his grandchildren and use a laptop computer.

“But most of all he was a devoted family man.”

Mr Kay, of North Duffield, died on September 29 in York District Hospital, aged 84.

His funeral will take place at St Helen’s Church in Skipwith at 2pm followed by committal at York Crematorium.

He is survived by his wife, daughters, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.