THE dad of London bus bomb victim Marie Hartley has died after a 16-month battle against throat cancer.
John Targett, 61, of Dill Hall Lane, Church, was admitted to the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Saturday and died early on Sunday morning.
His son Ian said this week: “A part of him died with Marie. It affected all the family but it hit him particularly hard.
“It might have been the cancer that killed him but he had a broken heart.
“All the heartache and upset obviously didn’t help his health. He could never get his head around Marie’s death.”
Mum-of-two Marie, 34, who lived on White Ash Lane, Oswaldtwistle, was travelling on the number 30 bus which was blown up in Tavistock Square on 7 July 2005.
She had sent a text message to tell work pals at Hambledon Studios in Altham that she was safe after escaping the Tube bombings minutes earlier.
Mr Targett was particularly upset that the shocking image of the mangled bus was repeatedly used to illustrate TV and newspaper stories about the 7/7 bombings.
Ian, a policeman, added: “If there is an afterlife I would like to think dad is reunited with Marie and they are now at peace.”
Mr Targett had recently been working with other bereaved families to call for a public inquiry into the bombings amid claims that security services failed to act on tip-offs which could have prevented the tragedy.
Ian said: “He wanted to make sure other families did not suffer the same pain and heartbreak.”
But he was deeply disapppointed when the plea was turned down by the Government.
Mr Targett was a talented cabinet maker who worked for 42 years for Lancashire Barfitters, travelling the country fitting out working men’s clubs, and then Arc Interior and Design Ltd before taking early retirement due to ill health.
He was a regular at the Greyhound pub in Altham West and a member of the former Sacred Heart RC Church.
He was a keen fisherman who organised many fishing trips to Scotland which will be remembered by all who went on them
His hobbies also included reading, walking, holidays and socialising.
He also leaves his wife of 38 years, Barbara, daughter-in-law Debbie, Marie’s husband David, grandchildren Phelix, seven, Liam, 10, and Adan, four, three brothers, two sisters and many nephews and nieces.
Father Patrick Bourke will conduct a funeral service at St Mary’s RC Church,Oswaldtwistle, on Monday before cremation at Accrington.
The funeral arrangements are being carried out by Hyndburn Funeral Services.
