A BURLEY-in-Wharfedale man who gave his whole life to serving others has died in a Methley nursing home aged 90.

Jim Shelton, a former Councillor and Magistrate, had been the village's Poppy Appeal organiser for almost 60 years when he retired from the role five years ago and went to live in a Royal British Legion Home in Ripon. He was since moved to a home near Methley and died there on August 17.

A tea party was held in Burley-in-Wharfedale in 2011 to mark his retirement as the village’s Poppy Appeal organiser.

It was the end of a chapter in the life of the former Royal Navy telegraphist.

Jim has given a lifetime of service to the community in which he grew up and it has seen him work not only for the Royal British Legion but also Lions International and give service as a former Ilkley Urban District Councillor – serving twice as chairman – and as a magistrate on the old Otley bench.

Jim took up the reins of the Poppy Appeal after 11 years service in the Royal Navy, joining up at the age of 17 and serving in the last two years of the Second World War. When the war ended he remained in the service and served in Malaya and Korea.

As well as running the Poppy Appeal Jim also organised the Remembrance Service in the village. Before he had a car Jim took the poppy boxes and collecting tins round the village in a wheelbarrow.

He was helped and encouraged in that work by his late wife Hazel, who had served in the WRNS.

Born in Otley and raised in Burley Woodhead before moving to Burley, Jim started work at the age of 14 and as it was wartime he ended up working nights and doing fire watch at Garnetts Paper Mill in Otley, where he remained for the rest of his working life.

Shortly before he turned 15 he joined the Otley ATC and became its drum major proudly leading their parades and gaining something of a reputation as a dare devil when it came to throwing the mace high above the telephone wires that crossed Otley’s Kirkgate!

He carried on his drum major role in the Royal Navy. Primarily based at Portsmouth he found himself back in Yorkshire and not too far from home for his basic training at Wetherby.

As he chose to be a telegraphist Jim was sent for further training to Scotland and it was here that he became familiar with the game of hockey – a game he went on to play for many years at Ben Rhydding Hockey Club. At one time when based near The Admiralty in London Jim played hockey with Lord Louis Mountbatten.

This was not to be Jim’s only brush with royalty for twice during his service as Chairman of Ilkley Urban District Council he attended Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. He served the Burley ward for many years and was Chairman of the Council at the time of its twinning with Coutances in France.

His public service saw him become a Magistrate on the Otley Bench and when Local Government Reform saw the end of Urban District Councils he decided to put his energies into community service with the Lions.

He was secretary of Wharfedale Lions for many years. He twice won the Bob Jones International Lions Award for service and for 34 years he organised the massive bonfire and fireworks display in Ilkley which raised thousands of pounds for charities.

He was also at one time secretary of Burley-in-Wharfedale Sports Clubs and in that period organised evening hockey games for local children on the cricket outfield.

He was also instrumental in obtaining the former Victoria Road Methodist Church for use as a youth club.

A life which has been full of service to his local community has also seen him rewarded with the Shipley Area Committee Community Hero award.

He leaves a daughter, Lesley Nixon, who lives in Woodlesford.

A funeral service is planned for Cottingley Crematorium, Leeds, on a date as yet unknown.