Boathouse farewell to Lytham St Annes RNLI man who died aged just 32

Lytham St Annes lifeboat crew will say a final farewell to a former colleague at a memorial service at the St Annes RNLI boathouse on Thursday, December 16.
By Tony Durkin
Published 14th Dec 2021, 12:30 GMT
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Kerrith Black, known to all as Kez, died in his sleep from pneumonia aged just 32 last month.

He was a lifeboat mechanic who served for more than six years as a volunteer with Fylde’s lifeboat service and leaves his partner Kayleigh, their 21-month-old daughter Aluna Rose Black, and his parents Roy and Andrea Black.

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Tomorrow’s service, to be followed by a private family funeral at Lytham Crematorium, starts at 12.30pm can members of the public can go along to watch from outside, with strictly no admittance to the boathouse because of Covid restrictions.

Kerrith Black was a dedicated volunteer for the RNLIKerrith Black was a dedicated volunteer for the RNLI
Kerrith Black was a dedicated volunteer for the RNLI
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Tributes to lifeboat mechanic after sudden death at just 32

Martin was coxswain/mechanic at St Annes when Kez joined the Lytham St Annes RNLI crew in 2014.

Kez’s family also recall Martin offering advice to Kez about how to get involved as an RNLI volunteers when he first expressed an ambition to be a lifeboat man as a schoolboy.

“Kez was a great guy,” said Martin, “A real team player who was really keen and would do anything for anyone.

"We were all so sorry to hear what happened.”

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Kez was unable to continue his volunteering for the RNLI when he moved to Preston last year, but his dad Roy, who followed Kez into the RNLI and is head launcher at Lytham and St Annes, said his intention had always been to return to the service.

The crew at Lytham and St Annes are inviting donations to the service in Kez’s memory via a Just Giving page - www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lytham-st-annes-fundraising branch

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Related topics:Lytham St Annes RNLIRNLI