Tributes paid to former Biggleswade mayor who battled brain tumour but lived life to the full

Tributes are being paid to a former mayor who battled a brain tumour for years but always lived life to the full.

Former Central Bedfordshire and Biggleswade Town Councillor Tim Woodward died aged 55 on March 7.

He had served as mayor from 2011 to 2013, and as governor of Holmead School, now Biggleswade Academy.

Brave Tim had received ongoing treatment for a brain tumour since 1992, but always kept active – and was passionate about both community and family life.

His wife, Nicola, told the Chronicle: "Tim was joyful, the life and soul of the party - very loud, very friendly, and very giving. The brain tumour was part of his life, really, but he was never going to let it get to him.

"He was a councillor for a long time and very much enjoyed it, attending community events, the annual civic service, Remembrance and St George's parades."

Tim was born in St Ippolyts and grew up in Hitchin with his father Peter, mother Maggie, and younger sister Victoria. As an adult, he remained in touch with a group of friends from his days at Samuel Lucas Infant and Junior School and Hitchin Boys School – and it was at Samuel Lucas that he met his future wife.

"He was just a lovely guy," remembers Nicola. "We used to go to the Red Cross together as teenagers. But then I went off to do my nurse training at South West Herts, and he went to do a Physics degree at Lancaster University."

Busy up north, Tim enjoyed the social side of student life, taking part in Dungeons & Dragons and medieval battle reenactment.

He initially intended to become a doctor, but instead entered a successful career in computing. During his early 20s he was recruited to work in Atlanta, but this came to an abrupt end when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1992, aged just 25, returning to England for radiotherapy following surgery in America.

Having made a strong recovery, Tim had a chance reunion with his future wife in October 1997 when he visited his grandmother at Lister Hospital. It was here that Nicola was working as a nurse, and "much to her embarrassment" was called over by Tim's family to come and say hello.

By the February, the couple were engaged after a romantic proposal in St Margaret's Chapel, Edinburgh, and married in October 1998 at Hitchin Register Office.

Nicola had a son, Sam (born 1994), from a previous marriage, who was soon joined by three brothers – twins George and Henry (born in 1999) and Finley (2002).

The family moved to Biggleswade in 2000 where Tim threw himself into community life, inspired to become a councillor thanks to his father, Peter, who had served as Mayor in Arlesey and Biggleswade.

Since 1999, Tim had faced ongoing treatment for his tumour. After being medically retired following a couple of strokes, he died peacefully at home with his family.

Tim is survived by his wife, sons, mother and sister, as well as his one-year-old grandson, Luca.

His funeral will be held on March 27 at 2pm in North Herts Crematorium. Anyone is welcome to attend, and in lieu of flowers, charity donations can be made to Queen Square Hospital, London, for research into brain tumours.