A former Rochdale Hornets player who went on to become a town councillor has lost his year-long fight against motor-neurone disease.
Michael McKeown, ex-landlord of the Queens Hotel, Tweedale Street, died in the Royal Oldham Hospital on Sunday, aged 72.
Oldham-born, Mr McKeown trained as an electrician with the old North Western Electricity Board before joining a family firm.
In 1960 he went into the licensing trade, first as mine host of the Weavers Arms Hotel, in Huddersfield Road, Oldham, and then the Queens.
During his time in Rochdale, Mr McKeown spent seven years on the town council as a Conservative member for Central Ward.
A regular worshipper at St John's RC Church, Mr McKeown was also a governor of St John's RC School and an ex-member of the Catenian Association - the International Brotherhood of Catholic business and professional men.
Mr McKeown retired from politics when he became a sub-postmaster in Oldham and moved to Shaw.
After completing his National Service in the RAF Regiment - he saw active service in Palestine in 1948 -Mr McKeown, a talented centre three-quarter, joined Hornets from Higginshaw and played at the Athletic Grounds for six seasons before returning to junior rugby with Royton.
Mr McKeown is survived by his wife Molly, their two sons and daughter, his 94-year-old mother, six grandchildren, one great grandson, four brothers and two sisters.
The funeral will be at St Edward's Church, Lees, at 12.45pm on Friday followed by interment at Greenacres Cemetery at 2pm.