Tribute to couple who died within days of each other

A JOINT funeral will be held for a well-known dale couple who died within days of each other.
John Deighton, a former teacher at Staindrop, died on January 25, aged 84.

He was a resident of Lyons Court Care Home. His beloved wife, Mary, died just five days later on January 30. She was 87.
Mr Deighton, who was born in Cockfield, left school, by his own admission, “with no great distinction” but applied himself afterwards doing a carpenter apprenticeship, and attending night school and Huddersfield Teacher Training College.
He believed education to be hugely important. After completing national service with the RAF between 1953 and 1955, he began teaching at Baliol School and later Staindrop Secondary Modern.
Mr Deighton married Patricia Mary Hebbron, also a teacher, in 1955.
She had been a high achiever at school and went on to the teacher training college at Liverpool where she met many lifelong friends.
She qualified in 1949 and her first post was at Cockfield CofE Primary School, next to her future husband’s mother.
The couple moved to Raby Park in 1960.
Mr Deighton was described as a gifted maths teacher whose pupils achieved exceptional examination results. He taught at night school to help make ends meet and later became deputy headteacher.
In his youth, Mr Deighton was a member of Lord Barnard’s Cub and Scout troops and later became a leader of Staindrop Scouts.
His family said that while teaching in Staindrop he was instrumental in starting a school band in partnership with Teesdale School and he helped start a German exchange programme.
He was also a driving force for fundraising, in particular for the Falklands.
Mr Deighton served as a Justice of the Peace between 1981 and 1992 but was forced to retire due to ill health. He had earlier retired from teaching in 1986.
For her part, Mrs Deighton supported her husband with his many school initiatives and described herself “a school band groupie!” She was a regular churchgoer and was an active, lifelong member of the Mothers’ Union.
A joint funeral will be held for the couple at St Mary’s, in Staindrop, on February 8, at 11am. The service will be conducted by Revd John Moore and Revd Ken Steventon. Donations will be taken for MS Research.
The couple are survived by their four children, John, Janet, Jennifer and James, and seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Son Jamie Deighton said: “They always allowed us to be ourselves, and were both inspirational and yet different in their own way.
“They moulded me into what I have become today, and for that, words cannot express how grateful I am”
Son John Deighton added: “It is fair to say there were many people including us who had their lives touched and enriched through meeting them.”
Daughter Janet Armour said: “I found that they always encouraged us to be independent, have our own opinion and not to be afraid to voice it – although be prepared to argue that point with dad - especially if he didn’t agree.”