TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular trade union activist who has died aged 90.
The partner of Norman Pearce, who battled cancer and had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, has been "inundated with cards" from people who knew him.
Philippa Cundy, Norman's partner of more than 40 years, was part of a large congregation of people who turned out to bid farewell to the former railway engineer at Markeaton Crematorium on Thursday.
Mr Pearce was a popular figure, having spent nearly 49 years with the Transport Salaries Staffs Association.
Ms Cundy was glad to see so many friends and union members there to pay their respects.
The 77-year-old said: "It was a lovely service. I've been inundated with cards from friends and family."
With a keen interest in jazz, Mr Pearce enjoyed going to clubs and bars for concerts.
It was at a jazz club in Spondon that he and Ms Cundy first met.
"He was very fond of jazz music," she remembered. "When we moved in together, he used to love blaring it out.
"I wasn't that into it, so he used to listen to it in the garage while he was busy making things."
The couple lived in Mickleover for almost 42 years.
They used to spend their days looking after their garden together.
Ms Cundy added: "Norman really liked gardening, we both did.
"We liked to get outside and we really enjoyed walking the dog down by the canal."
Mr Pearce had three children, Margaret, Jane and Malcolm, from another relationship.
Though the final years were tough for him health-wise, Ms Cundy was in no doubt that he would be remembered for being kind-hearted and cheerful.
She added: "He was diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer in March last year and, the year prior to that, with Alzheimer's.
"It was awful to see him like that, but people will remember him as a very jovial, calm and caring man."
One person who knew him well from his time in the union was ex-deputy city council leader Dave Roberts, who was also an activist.
"Norman joined the TSSA in 1965," the 74-year-old from Chaddesden said.
"He transferred from the Railway Workshop to the Railway Technical Centre to work as a technical assistant on the bridge team.
"He was pivotal when they were developing lasers for bridge measurements – it was possibly the earliest use of lasers on the railway."
He was eventually promoted to management level, which Mr Roberts said was a great achievement.
He added: "He was a very hard worker and was in the TSSA for 49 years. He was awarded the gold medallion for his service to the union."
And his role as a senior technical officer for British Rail Research meant that he worked on some of the biggest railway bridges in the country, including the Ribblehead Viaduct, in North Yorkshire.
"Norman was given the award for 25 years' continuous service as a branch officer," added Mr Roberts.
"He wasn't like me, wanting to be out on the front line all the time. He was a very quiet man who did all the things he had to in an assured way. He was an absolutely devoted trade unionist."
Ms Cundy has thanked everyone who made donations at the service on Thursday. These will be split between the Nightingale Macmillan Day Unit and the Alzheimer's Association.
