TRIBUTES are being paid to a former Wrexham mayor and ‘true gentleman’ whose funeral takes place today.

John Joel Myers, who served as mayor of the then Wrexham Maelor Borough Council in 1979, died at Wrexham Maelor Hospital on November 12 after a long illness, aged 89.

Born in Liverpool, John Myers moved to Wrexham when he was young and the family lived at Llandegla.

A Conservative, he won a seat by four votes on Wrexham Council for the Wats Dyke ward in Garden Village and was also a member of Denbighshire County Council and Rhosddu Community Council.

He volunteered for the RAF in 1940, was sergeant in the air crew and for a time was based in Iceland.

He was demobbed in 1948 when based at Borras and returned to work for Manweb, from where he retired as a senior accounts manager.

He had met his late wife Glenys at the company. She later moved to work for many years at the office at the former Border Breweries in Wrexham.

The couple lived for many years in Edinburgh Road, Garden Village.

Mr Myers is survived by his brother, Sir Philip Myers, former Chief Constable of North Wales and Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary.

Cllr Bob Dutton, deputy leader at Wrexham Council, paid tribute to the man affectionately known as ‘J.J.’.

He said: “John was an acknowledged committed servant of the people and proud representative of his ward of Garden Village and of Wrexham itself.

“He worked with his late wife Glenys as mayor and mayoress to help cement the twinning relationship with Markischer Kreis in Nord-Rhein Westphalia.

“He was a member and outspoken representative on behalf of his constituents on most of the authority’s committees during his years as a councillor.

“And while he was involved in a number of issues, the one that pleased him personally was that he ensured the stone Prince of Wales crest, recovered from the demolition of the old council depot where Tesco now stands, was saved and incorporated in the frontage of the restored Kings Mill, which is now the Royal Welch Fusiliers archive and base of their military museum.”

Staff at Stantsy House, the specialist home where Mr Myers spent a month in respite care, expressed fond memories of his time with them.

Audra Jones, team leader of the residential unit, said: “He was a funny man, very humourous, and a bit of a character.

“He wasn’t scared of speaking his mind but he was lovely.

“After all these years he still spoke of his time as mayor and he said he really enjoyed helping his community.

“It sounded like hard work but he was proud of it.”

Mr Myers had spent a month at the home in late summer 2009 when the staff helped him through the traumatic loss of his wife Glenys.

The family has asked anyone who wishes to pay their respects to make a donation to the home’s Residents Comforts Fund, instead of buying flowers.

Julia Roberts, manager at Stantsy, described Mr Myers as ‘a true gentleman’ and is grateful for the family’s generosity.

She said: “The donation is wonderful news, a very nice surprise.”

The funeral will be held at 2pm in St Giles’ Church, Temple Row, and will be followed by a service at Pentrebychan Crematorium at 3pm.