THE family of an artist who died from cancer have promised to carry his legacy on in a small market town he so dearly loved. 

Chris Benefield, 73, from Rusland Valley, on the edge of Grizedale Forest died peacefully at home on Wednesday August 12 from larynx cancer. 

His funeral was held at St Paul's Church in Rusland on Tuesday August 25 followed with a grand afternoon tea in the village hall. 

Around 200 people attended to express their condolences and gratitude for having known a man who was as "kind and as optimistic" as he was. 

Mr Benefield was well known in Ulverston as having owned the framing shop and small art gallery, Tinner's Rabbit in Market Street.   

The father of three and stepfather of two opened the shop in 1997 with his wife, Janet, after taking early retirement as a graphic artist at the scientific research station, Merlewood in Grange. 

Mrs Benefield said: "He had to finish work early because of his condition, Polymyalgia rheumatica - which is arthritis of the muscular system. 

"He has always liked projects and he felt that he was not ready to stop working so we invested in this little shop in Market Street which he completed renovated in 1997. 

"In that year there were 32 empty shops in Ulverston so we didn't expect it to do greatly. We had no retail experience and I was working as a social worker."

However the shop really took off and they soon had to relocate to a bigger space, which was just a couple of doors down. 

This was renamed as Tinner's Rabbit Two in 1999. 

Mrs Benefield said: "It was incredible, it was a really joyous time for us and it was a beautiful shop."

The bigger space meant they could extend their framing service, the gallery and rent out three studios to aspiring artists on the top floor. 

Mr Benefield didn't stop there though. He dreamed of building up Ulverston and promoting more of its small specialist shops so in 2000 he opened Two by Two, a clothes store, which his stepdaughter, Rachel Weaver now runs. 

However, in 2010, Mr benefield's health deteriorated and he decided to retire. He was then diagnosed with larynx cancer in January last year. 

Mrs Benefield said: "He was so optimistic and so hopeful even right till the end. He never complained about what was going on with him and the pain in was in and I found that remarkable."

One of Mr Benefield's final wishes was to die at home and Mrs Benefield feels that was something that wouldn't have been accomplished if it wasn't for the support she was given. 

She said: "We had 

amazing community support that we got from a Macmillan nurse, Hospice at Home in Ulverston and district nurses from Ambleside. 

"I really can't thank them enough, the support was staggering. They enabled me to really look after him.

"Since he died it has been difficult, he had been poorly for so long that we are very keen to keep his legacy going. 

"He loved his family, his friends, and this community in Ulverston. He loved being part of the trading community and the artists community and most of all he loved people and hearing their stories."

Three charities close to Chris Benefield's heart are St Mary's Hospice, St Paul's Church, Rusland and Khiraule Education and Health Project, Everest region, Nepal. 

If you would like to make a donation then please send it to Mick Wren, Wren Funerals, Newby Bridge, Ulverston, LA12 8LZ.