LOVING tributes were today paid to a councillor dubbed “a true son of Darlington”.

Hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects to Councillor Joe Lyonette, who died suddenly on December 31 at the age of 50.

Father Seamus Doyle, leading the service at St Augustine's RC Church, in Darlington, described him a man “in the middle of life and full of vitality, with a ready smile” who had took his role in the community seriously.

Cllr Lyonette’s two children, Theo and Ellie, his sister Liz and were among the mourners who spoke to remember the punk rock fan and committed family man.

A coffin decorated to look like a musician’s flight box and covered with pictures of Volkswagen cars gave some indication of Cllr Lyonette’s passions in life.

The church was filled with friends and family members, including his wife Ruth and father David, who were joined by dozens of Cllr Lyonette’s fellow councillors and senior officers from Darlington Borough Council, Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, Ron Hogg, and Darlington MP Jenny Chapman.

The Northern Echo:
TRIBUTES: Joe Lyonette
 

Theo Lyonette spoke of his father as a man “who had taught me everything I didn’t really need to know, but really did”.

He added: “It’s hard to pick one story out of a life time of stories. I guess I’m lucky that there’s not one bad story in there.

“I will cherish and share those stories about my dad for as long as I live.

“There is every memory in there that a son and dad should have. There is not a single regret, just pure contentment.

“Although I’m sad he’s gone, I feel lucky that he lived and that I was a part of it.”

Cllr Lyonette trained as a counsellor, with donations in lieu of flowers to be given to the mental health charity, Mind, but his lifelong love of live music never left him.

In his youth Cllr Lyonette would spend his days at Target Records, rehearsing with his band, and he later had his own second hand music stall.

As a councillor for the Park East ward he was instrumental in the running of the Darlington Carnival and remained a big supporter of the town’s music scene.