A friend to everyone and a gentleman

The press officer for the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge, Victor Wray, has paid tribute to a former school friend Jim Arbuckle, who died on Friday afternoon.
The Late Jim ArbuckleThe Late Jim Arbuckle
The Late Jim Arbuckle

“I knew Jim very well. He lived in Northland Parade, where I was brought up too. I lived in Argyle Terrace,” said Victor.

“Jim went to the same school as me, the Model School,” he recalled.

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“I always held Jim in very high esteem. He was a great friend to everyone and a gentleman.

“He worked for everybody in the community. Two years ago he did a historical talk for an outreach programme in the Fountain, a project Britannia LOL 1912 was doing. He did a great job with the children and enlightened them on the culture of the Protestant Unionist Loyalist community and the Loyal Orders.

“It was a very sad time to hear of Jim’s death. He was a great supporter of the Northern Ireland football team’s supporters, the ‘Green and White Army’. He went all over the world with them, wherever the matches were and never missed matches here in Belfast as well.

“He was a member of the Newtowncunningham Branch of the Apprentice Boys and he was also a distinguished past-President of the Apprentice Boys.

“Jim will be sadly missed for all the work he did for everyone in the community. At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”