A WELL-loved and respected parish clerk who served Sutton and Macclesfield local government for 20 years died suddenly while on a family holiday, aged 53.
Dad-of-two Nick Shatwell – a popular, relaxed character who took the stuffiness out of bureaucracy – was "first class" at the helm of the village’s administration and will be sorely missed, his peers said.
He suffered a fatal heart attack in the night, on Wednesday, August 29, while on a family break in the Lake District.
Sutton parish and borough councillor Hilda Gaddum said: "He has done a first class job. We were terribly shocked and deeply saddened. He was a very positive member of the council, and a very, very good clerk. We pay tribute to his family."
A former student of Broken Cross and Byron Street schools in Macclesfield, Nick spent his working life in local government, and was a well-loved and hard-working clerk to Sutton Parish Council for two decades.
He began work at 16, for Macclesfield Rural District Council, and then Macclesfield Borough Council in 1974.
At the time of his death, he was principal elections officer at Congleton Borough Council.
Judith Shatwell, Nick’s wife of 15 years, who lived with him and their children James, 11, and Anna, eight, in Congleton, said: "He was so proud of the children. James is a budding guitarist and plays all of Nick’s old Deep Purple records.
"Anna is an artist and her dad was so proud when she won the competition to design a council flag last year."
Nick’s memorial service will be held at St James Church, Sutton, on Friday, October 5, at 2pm.
