Gordon Stuart, from Harmans Water, passed away on Sunday , March 22, the day after his 64th birthday, following a seven-month battle with lung cancer.

He was born in Zimbabwe but grew up in Fish Hoek in Cape Town, South Africa, where he became a professional jockey on the horse racing circuit in the country, before later becoming a successful trainer, coaching a number of horses to victory over the years.

Last week, his fellow jockeys paid tribute to him by wearing black armbands at the race meeting at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town.

He met his wife Lorraine in 1979, who is originally from Wiltshire but moved to South Africa to become an apprentice hairdresser, with Mr Stuart becoming one of her regular customers.

They married in 1984 in Cape Town before moving to Harmans Water in 2002 to be closer to Mrs Stuart’s family.

After moving into a flat above the shops in Harmans Water Square, Mr Stuart spent about five years working at the Spar convenience shop in the square before retiring five years ago.

He was often seen chatting to friends and residents around the shops and making new friends.

He was also a big supporter of football team Tottenham Hotspur.

His daughter Tara said: “We would like to thank everyone for their words, support and kind messages about our father. He would just sit and talk to anyone that approached him, no matter what their background was. He never judged anyone.

“We actually dreaded walking into the town centre with him because we would be constantly stopped by everyone trying to talk to him because he was so popular.

“We will miss him dearly and we will always remember him. He will always be in our hearts and we will try and keep his memory alive in the community.” He leaves behind wife Lorraine, 55, and their three children , Shane, 28, Tara, 24, and Clayton, 16, as well as a grandson, Tara’s son four-year-old Joshua.

His funeral will take place on Thursday, April 9, at Easthampstead Park Crematorium at noon.

It is an open funeral but the family has said that people attending should dress casually as that was one of Mr Stuart’s wishes.