WELL wishers gathered at a North East church to pay their respects to a much-loved organist who died aged 101.

Emlyn Warder, of Sandringham Court, Darlington was described by the Revd Canon John Dobson as “one in a million” following his funeral service at All Saints and Salutation Church today (Friday, February 1).

Originally from Kirkby Fleetham in North Yorkshire, Mr Warder first took up the organ aged 15 and went on to play in dozens of churches across Yorkshire and County Durham before settling in Darlington and founding the Darlington and District Organist Association.

More recently he read the lesson when the Bishop of Durham the Right Revd Justin Welby visited Darlington’s All Saints and Salutation Church for its Patronal service last November.

Canon Dobson described Mr Warder as a “remarkable man” who was well-loved by many.

He said: “This is a man who was born before the Titanic sank and who started driving in 1926. He had organ lessons on Ripon Cathedral organ in the 1930s.

“He has lived a full, contented, fruitful, faithful life and this all gives us more reasons for rejoicing, and also for mourning and being sad.

“Emlyn was 101 but in 2012 he was still living an amazingly full life and giving more to the life of the church community and the wider community than some people a fraction of his age.

“Music has featured significantly throughout Emlyn’s long life. Through it he has given much pleasure and service. We loved him.”

Despite his advanced years, Mr Warder continued playing the organ at All Saints right up until December 2012 and only stopped playing his weekly sessions at the Cockerton Club in November.

Canon Dobson said: “Emlyn was one in a million.

“On his 100th birthday he played the organ for the Parish Communion. He reckoned that was the most comfortable place for him.

“Bishop Justin was with us for the first Sunday in November; he was staggered to learn that the chap who had just read the lesson wasn’t in his late 70s as he’d imagined, but 100.

“He was a remarkable man.”

Mr Warder, a widow and father of two daughters, died in hospital on January 22.