Frank Collier, famous for his pocket Sermons, passes away

Mar 11 2010 by Eva Ketley, North Wales Weekly News

A REMARKABLE man who showed incredible dedication to the Weekly News over 25 years has passed away, aged 89.

Oxford graduate Frank Collier organised the Weekly News’ popular Pocket Sermon for a quarter of a century.

Never once in 25 years did Frank fail to send in the weekly church column, which he did voluntarily.

Retired headteacher Frank, who lived in Craigside with his wife Olwen, agreed to take on the responsibility of ensuring local clergymen contributed their thoughts for the week, expecting the task to continue for a year or two.

“But 20 years later I was still doing it, and to tell you the truth I enjoy it,” he told the Weekly News in 2005.

Frank studied modern history at Oxford University, but went on to study theology during the Second World War, and became a Methodist minister.

Olwen said: “He decided he wanted to become a teacher instead and became one in the mid-1950s.

“Frank always read the Guardian newspaper from cover to cover and had a great sense of social justice.”

They moved to Llandudno to retire. The couple knew the area well as Olwen’s father came from the resort.

Frank was a lay preacher in the Methodist church and preached at several churches in the area ensuring he was in regular contact with other lay preachers and clergymen.

He worked five weeks in advance of each Weekly News publication date to ensure the sermons arrived at our offices on time.

Even when he was on holiday he ensured he posted them from his holidays in the south of England.

Olwen said: “I’d been helping Frank with the pocket sermons the last few months, being the good, obedient wife!

“He was a good writer and if anyone let him down, he’d simply write a sermon himself.”

Frank’s funeral was held at Rhos Methodist Church on Monday. Olwen was touched that so many people from different parts of the UK attended.