A RETIRED Newport teacher died on holiday in Spain two days before he was due to fly home.

Geoff Davies, 79, known as Dapper, was on holiday with his wife Carole and her sister.

The couple were in Torremolinos and spent much of the week dancing late at night.

They took to the floor as normal on May 9, but the following morning, as Mrs Davies’ sister was waiting for a bus to take her to the airport, the former Alway Primary School teacher collapsed and died.

Doctors told his family the fit and active pensioner from Beechwood suffered a heart attack.

Daughter Amanda Wicks, 51, said: “Mum and dad has been dancing the night before. They would stay up until quite late at night.

That’s why it was such a shock, there was no illness in the lead up to it.”

The couple were due to return home to Newport, where they had lived since 1967, on May 12.

They spent nearly every day doing some kind of activity, including swimming, walking and looking after their six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr Davies taught at Alway Primary for 30 years, retiring in 1987.

“It wasn’t just a job for dad.

He thoroughly enjoyed giving the kids a better start than they originally would have had,” said son Kim, 49.

“He wasn’t just my dad, he was my best mate, my hero.

In 49 years I only fell out with him once.”

From a small village outside Neath, with Welsh his first language, Mr Davies first came to Newport to teach the subject in his classroom, a corner of the hall.

Among his pupils was last year’s Newport mayor John Guy and, after teaching around 1,000 pupils in his career, wherever he went he would be recognised.

Around five years ago, he bumped into a former pupil in Estonia while on holiday.

Mrs Davies, a former school secretary, said: “We often used to go into town and everyone used to stop and talk to him. A lot still called him ‘Sir’ or 'Dapper'.

He taught children of children.”

A cricketing career also beckoned

MR DAVIES’ long and happy teaching career may never have come about, as he almost became a cricketer.

As a teenager, he had trials for Glamorgan, but decided he did not want to travel around.

Mr Davies was also a member of Newport walking group Walk and the Probus retired club for men.

His funeral is on Monday at Beechwood Presbyterian Church, at 2.15pm.

People who knew Mr Davies are welcome to attend.

Donations are to the special baby care unit in the Royal Gwent, which cared for his grandson Llewelyn, who is now 14.