FORMER Sandown businessman, Clive Gregory Boynton, died on May 18, aged 85.

Born in Lake on November 12, 1934, to George and Nellie Boynton, he had six brothers and three sisters.

He had a head start in business, running errands for the American troops during the Second World War. He went to school in Sandown from 1938 to 1950.

He joined the Royal Navy aged 15 in January 1950, to train as an electrical artificer at HMS Fisgard in Cornwall.

In 1954 he was drafted to Malta and served on several ships before leaving in 1964 as a chief petty officer.

He had many sporting interests including football and water polo.

He first met his future wife Rita (nee Green) briefly in 1949 while her family were on holiday in the IW from Durham.

They met again while he was on summer leave in 1950. They married on Sunday, October 2, 1955, and their two children,Ron and Chris, were both born in 1958.

After leaving the Navy he worked for his father’s turf accountant business with some of his brothers.

He also went on to run the Deepdale Guest House, Sandown, in 1964 with Rita.

He enjoyed playing snooker at Sandown Social Club and was a member of Sandown and Shanklin Golf Club.

The Boyntons celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2015. Rita died the following year.

They enjoyed going to dances at many Island venues such as Ventnor Winter Gardens and Sandown Pier.

They had many friends and enjoyed dinners and parties with them, and holidaying in England and abroad.

Mr Boynton joined the Freemasons in 1965 and gave much of his time in support of Freemasonry and its charitable causes, making many long-term friends along the way.

He was presented a certificate in 2015 for 50 years of service.

He leaves his sons, grandchildren Laura, Lee and Ronan, great grandchild Isabella, and brothers Hugh, Joe and Pat, and sisters Lyn and Primrose.

A funeral service will be held at the IW Crematorium, on Tuesday, June 9 at 1.30pm.