Obituary: ‘A great servant to community’ Noel Page-Turner dies after lifetime of service to Honiton

Noel Frederick Augustus Page-Turner was born in Brackley, Northamptonshire on 6 May 1934. He moved to Woodhayes Farm in Luppitt, Honiton with his wife Christy in 1961.

He farmed in Luppitt for 61 years.

Noel passed away on August 8.

Together Noel and Christy had three children – Edward, Gregory and Cassandra. Gregory still lives at Woodhayes with his wife and children, and Cassandra and her mother also live on the farm at Tillicks Cottage.

Noel lived a varied and interesting life and he was heavily involved in the Honiton and wider Devon community. He held many high-profile positions in the area and he will be remembered by many.

Greg said of his late father: "Noel was a great servant to the wider community in Devon. He was very much the quintessential English Gentleman, courteous, true to his word, a man of integrity and well-styled.

"He was calm and measured and put everyone he was talking to at ease. He was polite and friendly to everyone he encountered. If he knew you and saw you on Honiton High street he would doff his Hat acknowledging you with a smile."

One of Noel's most proud achievements was successfully re-establishing The Royal Devon Yeomanry, after it had been mothballed by defence cuts in the early 1970s. Noel commanded the Royal Devon Yeomanry and was its Honorary Colonel. He was also second in command of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry. In all, Noel served almost 12 years of combined service.

Noel was also a General Commissioner of Income Tax for the Axminster Division and was a long-term chairman of the Luppitt Commoners.

He was a governor of Honiton Community College between 1971 and 1991, and was Chairman for six of those years.

During the 1990s and early noughties he was Chairman of the Honiton Festival, Vice Chair of Honiton & District Agricultural Association and was President of Honiton Chamber of Commerce.

One of his most rewarding acts of service to Devon was his role at the Northbrooke Community Trust.

Northbrooke Community Trust provide grants to children's charities and recent projects include financing workshops for disadvantaged children from communities in East Devon, including Honiton, Sidmouth and Beer. They have also supported Action East Devon, which is a charity supporting young people's wellbeing.

Noel was a dedicated Northbrook trustee and Chair of the finance committee. His hard work and passion to make a difference helped to transform the financial fortunes of the Trust, which is now able to give more help to changing the lives of disadvantaged young people in Devon.

Noel was also appointed as a life-serving Deputy Lieutenant of Devon, which is a Crown appointment to recognise longstanding service to public life.

in 1997 he served as High Sheriff of Devon, a figure which is the Queen's representative in the county. Holders of the role are in situ for one year and they have judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions.

Noel also organized a collection of apple trees native to Devon as a gift from the people of Devon, presented to her Majesty the Queen to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2003. The orchard is now thriving at Sandringham estate.

A Memorial Service to Noel will take place at St. Marys Church Luppitt at 2.15pm on Thursday the 27 October.