A COMMUNITY joined together in grief to mourn the loss of “one of life’s givers”.


Hundreds gathered to say goodbye to popular bus driver and father-of-four Mark Leighton Egerton, 44, of Bryn Clyd, Leeswood, who died suddenly in his sleep on New Year’s Day.


The cause of his death is still unknown.


Family, friends and work colleagues gathered to pay their respects to Mr Egerton, an Arriva bus driver who worked in Mold, Queensferry and Chester, at his funeral at Pontblyddyn Church yesterday.


Reverend Carole Poolman led the tearful and emotional service and paid tribute to a “popular member of the community”.


She said: “Mark was still very young and had so much of his life ahead of him. This is wrong. He did not get the chance to say goodbye. Mark was one of life’s givers and fixers.

"He loved music and encouraging others to sing. Mark was always popular with staff and passengers.”


The former pupil at Castell Alun in Hope is survived by his four children Daniel, 23, Damian, 22, David, 21 and 19-year-old Kim, his three grandchildren and his parents James and Barbara.
 

Mr Egerton’s coffin was brought in by pallbearers,including his sons, to Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World, a song Rev Poolman said he enjoyed singing and was also his philosophy on life.
 

His son Damian gave a reading during which he told his father he would love him “forever more”.
 

Rev Poolman said prayers giving thanks for Mr Egerton’s life she said: “He worked hard and helped others and he set an example for others to follow.”
 

She also gave thanks for the twinkle in his eyes, his voice as he sung and the things he said.
 

“We can celebrate the fact we knew him and he was part of our lives, his life made ours richer,” she said.
 

Mr Egerton’s mother, Barbara, said: “Everybody’s been lovely, we’ve had a phone call from Arriva and a letter from them as well. I’m astonished with the support from people. The house hasn’t been empty since a week last Sunday.
 

“It’s a very black hole and you have to make the effort to get out of it. He was our only child, you never expect to lose your children. It’s been eye-opening regarding his popularity.”
 

An inquest has been opened by the North East Wales coroner into the cause Mr Egerton’s death, which remains unknown.
 

His parents have spoken of their shock at their son’s death and said there was no warning of illness.