Peter Wade

He was joint managing director with a cousin of the South Yorkshire family firm of Thomas Wade, and Wade Construction Company until his official retirement at 65, but was still with Thomas Wade until he was diagnosed with Guillame Barre syndrome when he was 73.

He was also a special constable for most of his life, an accomplished small bore rifle shooter and coach, an amateur radio enthusiast and a brilliant mathematician – he became a member of Mensa at the age of 70.

He was born in Stocksbridge, near Sheffield, the elder son of Stuart Ernest Wade, grandson of the founder of the 200-year old local family firm of builders and property developers, and his wife Irene.

He was educated at Rotherham Grammar School and Manchester Technical College where he studied building, before joining the family firm.

He met and married his wife, Mary Raderecht, in Malvern during his National Service, although they were divorced in the 1980s.

Mr Wade served with the Yorkshire Rifles in Malaya, as it then was, where at 21 he became the youngest in command of his unit and was eventually promoted to lieutenant. He was later seconded to the Indian Army.

After National Service, he returned to the family firm which was noted for constructing public buildings in the then West Riding, later South Yorkshire.

In the mid 1950s, he joined his father in the special constabulary with the West Riding force, working his way through the ranks until he became chief commandant of what by then was the South Yorkshire Force, retiring in 1992. In the 1989 New Year Honours list he was made an MBE for his work.

He was a small bore rifle shooter for most of his life, a member of the National Small Bore Rifle Association and a national coach working with Olympic hopefuls. He also won many local trophies.

He held an amateur radio licence and every morning would call up friends all over the world.

One of his greatest tests in life came 10 years ago when, from having spent a very active life and being very fit he spent a year in hospital having been struck by Guillame Barre syndrome, a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system and causing ascending paralysis of the body.

When told he would never walk again, his response was: “Watch me.” He proved the doubters wrong, although he could no longer walk unaided. He also continued rifle coaching from a wheelchair, and worked for syndrome’s local support group manning their telephone help line.

Mr Wade who lived in Swinton, near Mexborough, is survived by his four children Tom, Barbara, Michael and Christopher, four grandsons and two great granddaughters.