TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved Stourbridge school caretaker and community stalwart who died suddenly last month.

Bas Yeates, caretaker at High Park School and Ridgewood High School for 28 years before he retired in 2002, passed away on April 11, aged 78.

His daughter Lisa said: “Dad loved the school and the environment and always enjoyed his work there although he worked many long hours.

“He took many of the pupils with other members of staff on trips and got involved with many activities at the school.”

Bas underwent a triple heart by-pass in 2000 which he recovered very quickly from, enabling him to continue to work for a couple of years before taking retirement.

After retiring, Bas moved to Norton with his wife Janet and straight away he was asked to become the chairman of Norton Green Residents Association, where he organised many activities and social events including a charity open house and raffle and coach trips for the residents of Norton Green to Weston Super Mare and Blackpool.

Bas was a member of DAFTA and Home Affairs where he would be present at many committee meetings and would help many residents in the area, while he also dedicated time to raise lots of money for charities, Action Heart being his personal favourite, but he also supported Midlands Air Ambulance.

His funeral was held earlier this month at Stourbridge Crematorium with more than 120 people in attendance.

The service was a celebration of Bas’ life with a tribute from his grandson Joshua and a poem that was composed and read out by Lisa.

Lisa added: “Dad was a very well loved and respected member of the community always putting others before himself. He was a real gentleman.

“I have never met anybody like my dad before. I know that everyone says they have the best dad in the world, but to me he truly was.”