A DOUBLE funeral service was held for brothers-in-law Bill Spencer and Harry Carr after they died within two days of each other last week.

The service was held yesterday at St Mary's Church, Riddlesden.

Mr Spencer, 81, was a former director of Keighley Cougars, and had been the club's company secretary for 28 years.

He guided them through periods when only a handful of fans watched games at Lawkholme Lane and through the 'Cougarmania' years when thousands packed into Cougar Park in the most successful period in the club's recent history.

He was born in Sutton and served as a mechanic in the RAF throughout the war. Earlier he had worked in the textile industry for £1 a week, but then took a 50 per cent pay cut and moved to be cashier at Dacre, Son & Hartley where he earned 10 shillings (50p) a week.

When he was home on leave from the forces he would call in at the office in Keighley and it was there that he met his future wife, Bettie.

After leaving the air force he returned work at Dacres. Mr John Smallwood, a partner in the company, was chairman of the rugby league club and he recruited Bill to be secretary. It was a connection he continued for over 40 years, and only days before his death he had enjoyed watching the club's latest victory, in the Grand Final, on television.

He had always been keen on sport, playing cricket for Eastburn Cricket Club and was a keen bowler with several clubs. He also involved his wife in his passion for sport.

"We had only been seeing each other a few months when he said that if I wanted to get married we had better get on with it -- or I would have to wait until the after the cricket season!" Bettie said.

She was then called on to make teas for the cricketers, a role she later carried out at the rugby club before being taken onto the payroll as one of three paid employees at the club.

They continued their interest in rugby league and travelled to Cardiff to watch the Challenge Cup final at the Millennium Stadium earlier in the year when Mr Spencer was taken ill. At first doctors thought he had suffered a stroke, but tests later revealed that he had a brain tumour.

The tumour was successfully removed in an operation earlier in the summer and he made a good recovery, but on Wednesday last week he complained of feeling breathless and had died by the time paramedics arrived.

Mr Spencer is survived by his wife, Bettie, son Raymond and daughter Elizabeth.

Cougar coach Gary Moorby said: "Bill was a superb man who had a great love for the club. I knew him when I first signed in the 1970's and there would have been no prouder man when the team won the Grand Final.

"He was a true gentleman who did a great deal for the club and for Keighley."

Mr Spencer's brother-in-law, Mr Harry Carr, 86, died on Friday after a long illness. In his younger years he played in Haworth Band and also played golf at Riddlesden Golf Club.

He was a quiet family man who worked for many years at Peter Black's in Keighley. He is survived by his son Peter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.