A FORMER Bury teacher has died suddenly during a skiing holiday.

Roger Hamer, aged 62, of The Drive, suffered a heart attack in the Austrian Alpine resort of St Anton on January 25.

He leaves his partner, Jill; four children, Christopher, Nicola, Oliver and Toby; and two grandchildren, Chloe and Oscar.

Mr Hamer was educated at Bury Grammar School and Keele Teacher Training College. His first teaching post was as PE master at Bury Church of England High School, but he found his true calling after switching to teaching in primary schools.

Mr Hamer will be remembered by staff and pupils for “doing it his way” with infectious enthusiasm, energy and drive. He taught at Woodbank and Elton primary schools and was appointed deputy head teacher of Holcombe Church of England Primary School in 1979.

Three years later, Roger left Bury to work for the Ministry of Defence’s Services Children’s Authority. He spent two years as head teacher of the Service Children’s School in Brunei and 11 years at Alanbrooke Service Children’s School in Dortmund, Germany, before becoming head at St George’s International School in Luxembourg.

Mr Hamer returned in 1996 and recently taught on short term contracts in and around Bury, including Butterstile and Tottington primary schools. He also set up the Kip McGrath Tuition Centre in Bolton.

The well-travelled teacher was a keen sportsman who played football for Bury Grammar School Old Boys, the Pleasant View Sunday morning team and Wyldebury. He also played cricket for Bury Sports Club, Greenmount and Elton and even won an international cricket cap for Brunei. Mr Hamer also enjoyed golf, squash and skiing and was a life-long Bury FC fan. He also had a keen interest in music and amateur dramatics.

Mr Hamer’s son, Oliver, described him as a “scholar, a gentleman, the epitome of joie de vivre”.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Co-operative Funeral Services on 0161 764 4177.