FRIENDS have paid tribute to a Beverley man who played a huge role in the community.
Graham Hillerby – known as Wilf after his father – has died following a long illness.
He was best known for his love of Mill Lane football club, started by his father.
People also respected the younger Wilf for staying positive despite eventually losing both legs to diabetes.
He was even able to enjoy a last drink with his old friends at the Humber Keel pub on Boxing Day, despite the weather being unfit for a veterans match he had been arranging.
Mr Hillerby lost his battle against septicaemia last Thursday, aged 58.
His daughter Kaley, 35, said: "I arranged the Boxing Day event and he really enjoyed it even though he was ill.
"He's out of pain now. I'm proud of him.
"My dad was a family man and a sportsman. He enjoyed his football, cricket and fishing.
"We as a family are devastated to lose such a loving dad and grandad."
Mr Hillerby was born and brought up on the Swinemoor estate in the area of Thompson Avenue.
Married to Tina, he had three daughters. The couple separated but he and Tina remained close and she was at his bedside before he died.
Despite moving to the Bransholme area of Hull, Mr Hillerby retained very close links with Beverley and stayed in touch with his old friends.
Lifetime friend Jimmy Oxley, of Flemingate, Beverley, said: "He was a good mate of mine, we were brought up together. We went to school together and went to football and cricket together.
"He had nothing but trouble with his legs. But when he first had one leg amputated, he still played cricket for Walkington, he was that kind of man."
As a young man, Mr Hillerby was regarded as the best goalkeeper in the East Riding.
He was offered trials with Peterborough but would not go because he would not leave East Yorkshire.
That love of his community earned Mr Hillerby a lot of friends.
Mr Oxley said: "He's got a lot of good genuine mates, a lot of them are from school, we've all stayed in touch.
"I know there will be a lot of people at his funeral."
