We were saddened to learn of the death of Pastor Brian Pilmoor on 10 May 2020. Brian was born in in the picturesque town of York on 29 August 1921.
He left school at 14 and was fortunate to work at Terry’s chocolates in the recently established Graphic design and display department. During this time, he went to the York School of Art to develop his abilities in fine art, which he was able to transfer to his Pastoral context.
In 1939 he was obliged to enlist for military service to whom he offered the skill of ‘camouflage artist’ which was sufficiently diffused for his papers to become unnoticed with the belief that this would help him avoid combat, for which he had no desire. In 1942 he joined the RAF, was posted to India to be deployed in Delhi as a Cartographer drawing detailed pen and ink maps of aerial photographs for the ground forces in Burma.
In 1946 he returned to York with a determination to submit his life ‘to the Lord’ and to serve purposes greater than himself. While still uniformed he met Dorothy whose love he shared for almost 70 years. Together they attended a campaign conducted by Pastor Victor Cooper in York, followed by their baptism in Leeds.
In 1950 Brian was called to serve several churches including Leeds, Bradford, Nottingham, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle. He became well known using his art for weekly wayside posters and campaign literature. In the Ken Lacey - Camp Hill meetings he fascinated audiences by drawing Biblical themes with luminescent chalk under black light, while Derek Mustow sang a gospel hymn.
In 1960, Brian was called to Pastor in Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia. This was followed by service in Salisbury/Harare and Mutare. After furlough and more study at Newbold he was called as Bible teacher and Pastor to Rusangu Secondary School, Zambia.
He returned to Pastoral service in 1973, serving Eastbourne and Hastings, then returning home to Yorkshire, to serve Huddersfield, Halifax, Barnsley, and Oldham across the Pennines. He did a final year in Birmingham retracing his steps to find the contacts and interests made thirty years previously, finally retiring in 1987.
At almost 99 Brian leaves behind, his sons Victor and Roy, their wives Anne and Sandra along with 4 Grandchildren and 4 Great Grandchildren. Brian suffered an incurable skull infection for more than a year, in his final weeks he was isolated by the dreaded COVID-19 and died on 10 May 2020 in Kings Lodge Care Home in Camberley having been visited by his sons in the final days.
We now look forward to Christ's soon return and that glorious resurrection day.
