Members of Congleton and Leek
cycling clubs led the cortège to the funeral service of Graham McCargo last
Thursday at Macclesfield Crematorium.
Keen cyclist Mr McCargo (68) of
Buglawton died suddenly on 29th July while riding in the Peak
District with the Congleton club.
He leaves behind his wife
Gloria, two sons Duncan and Ian, a daughter Wendy and three Grandchildren.
Jan Ferguson of the British
Humanist Association officiated at the non-religious ceremony and read out
tributes to Mr McCargo.
Among the mourners in the packed
church were members of the Congleton and Leek clubs and Newcastle Track
Association as well as family and friends.
The Congleton club’s secretary,
Barry Fox, a friend and neighbour for 40 years, said: “It was a fitting tribute
to him to have fellow cyclists lead the procession.
“He was a very active man and
was well known and liked in the Congleton area. His many friends will miss him
greatly.”
Mr McCargo had been a member of
the Veterans’ Time Trials Association’s Manchester and Northwest Group for more
than 27 years, and up until about 10 years ago competed in time trials at all
distances up to 12 hours. He loved all branches of the sport, particularly
track and road racing.
He was chairman of Congleton
Cycling Club for 35 years and an official at Newcastle Track League, where he
was chief judge. For many years he was chairman of the North Staffs Division of
the British Cycling Federation until its disbandment. He was a member of the
organising committee of the 1982 World Track Championships at Leicester and
World Road Championships at Goodwood.
At Leicester Mr McCargo was
press officer, where his language skills in German and French were put to good
use. He was an active campaigner for cyclists’ rights as chairman of Congleton
Cycling Campaign. He was also a member of Audax UK, the premier long distance
cyclists’ association, the CTC, the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation, and
the Tandem Club and worked tirelessly to promote cycling links between
Congleton and its twin towns of Oosterhout in Holland, Trappes in France and
Koprivnice in the Czech Republic. Mr McCargo died whilst cycling with a group
from Koprivnice.
His day job was as a language
teacher and he took early retirement at 50 to pursue his many interests. He was
also active outside of cycling and basketball was another sporting love, where
in recent years he was press officer for the Manchester Magic and Mystics
basketball teams. He was a director of the Jon Amicchi Basketball Centre in
Whalley Range, where he derived great satisfaction with economically deprived
young people. He worked with Macclesfield and Congleton Riding for the Disabled
Association and had become a competent horse drawn carriage driver.
He loved fishing and growing
vegetables on his allotment which belonged to the Congleton and District
Horticultural Society, whose members donated flowers and herbs that were placed
in his hearse.
Mr McCargo’s passion for two
wheels crossed over into motorcycling, where he owned several vintage German
motorbikes. He was a member of the MZ Riders Club and the BMW and Cossack
Owners Clubs.
Mr McCargo was a very sociable
person who loved classical music and took great pleasure from going with his
wife to performances by the Hallé Orchestra.
Bob Norton of Congleton Cycling
Club and VTTA Manchester and Northwest, said: “One of Graham’s favourite
quotations was, ‘If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much
room’.”