My father, John Daly, who has died aged 79, began his working life as a carpenter, but after a serious accident was forced to give up that line of work and instead became a home maker, looking after his two children and facing up to various medical challenges over the following years with great courage.
John was born in Dewsbury in West Yorkshire to Kathleen (nee Philips), a housewife, and Stephen Daly, who was chief editorial assistant at the Manchester Guardian.
He grew up with his three sisters in Manchester, where he went to Wheeler Street school and then Openshaw technical college, after which he worked as a self-employed carpenter until the age of 30, when he suffered a serious spinal injury while playing Sunday league football.
Quadriplegic, unable to work and requiring long periods of rehabilitation, both in and out of hospital, John was forced to reverse roles with his wife, Patricia (nee Hough), whom he had married in 1964. As she went out to work as a social services manager he stayed at home looking after their two young children, me and Paul, not only seeing to our daily needs but encouraging us to make the most of our education and, eventually, to go on to university.
Pat’s work was mainly with disabled people, and she used John’s experiences and perspectives to develop good practice to ensure that her clients were treated with greater respect and dignity.
Although John regained some ability to walk after intensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy, in later life scar tissue developed from various surgical operations, and this had a detrimental impact on his nervous system, rendering him quadriplegic again.
He was never able to go back out to work, but being a highly intelligent, articulate and self-educated man, he brushed aside the physical difficulties he faced, immersing himself not only in family life but in a business studies and sociology degree with the Open University. To study took endless patience on his part, but he completed the degree through sheer determination.
John also took great interest and enjoyment in helping his two grandchildren, Tamsin and Evan, with their education and, through Plan International UK, sponsored two children throughout their education in Tanzania, sending them educational supplies as well as gifts on their birthdays. He also donated regularly to Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières, and was an avid Guardian reader.
Above all John had great strength of mind, and the positive attitude he adopted throughout his life, despite its difficulties, had a great influence on those who knew him.
He is survived by Pat, by me and Paul, and by Tamsin and Evan.
