Michael Whitford

Michael Whitford, who passed away on 20 September 2016, attended Bangor Grammar School between 1991 and 1998, having passed his 11-Plus at the town’s Kilmaine Primary School. Michael was a member of 1Y to 5Y and later Lower and Upper Sixth S, in School House. His father Robin and brother Philip also attended the school.

A diligent student, Michael worked hard through his seven years at BGS, also playing hockey – although outside school Michael’s sporting passion lay with football. A keen supporter of Glentoran FC, West Ham United FC and Northern Ireland, Michael also loved playing any kind of football he could.

Michael was a popular student amongst his peers and a true gentleman. He certainly lived up to his nickname of ‘Whitty’, given that he had a sharp wit and also supported West Ham, the club’s initials making up the first two letters of his nickname! West Ham also won the FA Cup on the day Michael was born in 1980, and remain the last second tier side to have won the competition.

Michael was a good friend of mine going back to 1990, when we played alongside each other for the 10th Bangor Boys’ Brigade football team. He also enjoyed playing five-a-side with work friends. As well as being in the same football team, hockey team and class at Bangor Grammar, Michael and I later worked together in Tesco.

Ambitious and hard-working, Michael started his own company, MW Tax Services, in 2012. He had married Emma on 8 August 2009 and was the proud father of two lovely children, Benjamin and Theo.

While fighting cancer from 2013 to 2016, Michael was very active and open about his illness, helping out with any cancer-related charity he could, and featuring in a BBC documentary.

I know his family, and indeed Michael himself, would appreciate donations of any size to OPANI, which is the Oesophageal Patients Association (Northern Ireland) and is a National Registered Charity, or to Marie Curie (Northern Ireland), which provided nursing care for Michael in his final weeks. The website addresses are www.opani.org/ and www.mariecurie.org.uk/who/what-we-do/marie-curie-northern-ireland

Jonny Blair