Motorbike mad Sheffield grandad given send-off to remember by city shop

A motorbike mad Sheffield great-grandad was given his final wish when a team of riders from a city shop gave him a special send-off.
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Donald Morton died in a Sheffield nursing home last month after a long battle with dementia at the age of 85.

In 2018, Donald had been taken by his doting family to SMC Bikes on the Wicker, in the hope that being around the magnificent machines he loved so much would bring some of ‘the old Don’ back to them.

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Don’s granddaughter, Lucy Morton, said the family were initially just ‘playing along’ after Don out of the blue said he wanted to buy a bike, but that thanks to the wonderful way the staff at SMC had been with him, the visit left him giggling and ‘smiling from ear to ear’.

Staff from SMC visited Don at his nursing home.Staff from SMC visited Don at his nursing home.
Staff from SMC visited Don at his nursing home.

“When he got there he was weaving around the bikes on his scooter quite fast but they just treated him like any other customer,” she said.

“They brought out a couple of bikes he said he was interested in, let him have his photo taken with them and gave him a poster of one of them which he put up at the home.

“Later they even visited the nursing home on their bikes and brought him a goody bag.”

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When Don sadly died in October, Lucy let SMC know and owner Frank Hayes immediately offered to lead the funeral cortege and give him the send-off he deserved.

Don when staff from SMC visited his nursing home.Don when staff from SMC visited his nursing home.
Don when staff from SMC visited his nursing home.

Don’s daughter-in-law, Debbie Morton, said the whole family were so grateful that what could have been an awful day was made memorable for all the right reasons.

“They are just ordinary people who did an extraordinary thing that deserves some recognition,” she said.

“It was such a lovely thing to do. To know they were with him would definitely have made him smile.”

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Frank Hayes, owner at SMC Bikes, said it had been ‘an honour’ to lead Don’s funeral procession.

Don with his great-granddaughter Emily.Don with his great-granddaughter Emily.
Don with his great-granddaughter Emily.

He said: “Bikers are like a family and when things like this happen everybody comes together.

“It was a privilege to be asked by Don’s family to be part of it.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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