A TEACHER and parish councillor has died after falling around 1,000ft in a climbing tragedy in the Alps.
Dad-of-two Howard Seymour, 55, was also a member of the Green Party in Kirkburton and would have been chairman of Kirkburton Parish Council next year.
He was climbing a mountain with a friend in the Grand Bornand area of France close to Annecy in the Western Alps when he fell.
He lived with wife, Sara, at Hallas Road in Kirburton and the couple have two grow-up children, Amy 26, and Oliver, 24.
Mrs Seymour is deputy headteacher at Scholes Junior And Infants School in Holmfirth. She said today: “Howard was very active and had a great love of the outdoors. He was enthusiastic in everything he did and had just started as a parish councillor.
“We wanted the funeral to be a celebration of his life and it was just that.’’
His funeral was held yesterday at All Hallow’s Church in Kirkburton attended by former colleagues from many schools.
Scholes Junior And Infants School headteacher Mrs Yvonne Donkersely said: “Howard was the most amazing teacher. He was inspirational and influenced the lives of so many children.’’
Mr Seymour also taught at Scholes Junior And Infants School last year, but was not teaching this term. He had also taught at Shelley First School, Birdsedge First School and St Aidan’s C of E First in Skelmanthorpe.
Mr Seymour was vice chairman of Kirkburton Parish Council where he represented the Green Party and would have become chairman next year. He was elected in May’s elections.
An inquest into the tragedy on August 23 opened at Bradford Coroner’s Court last Wednesday where it was revealed he had fallen about 300 metres and was declared dead at the scene.
A resumed inquest will be held in Huddersfield in the coming months.
