A HEREFORD businessman has died aged 68 after a short illness.

Jeffrey Whiting of accountancy practice Knipe Whiting Heath & Associates Limited in Blackfriars Street passed away on Friday.

He was a well known and respected Hereford businessman who had run a variety of enterprises over the last 30 years in Hereford, not just the accountancy firm he founded in the 1980s.

Jeff and senior co-Director Clare Jenner have worked together for 16 years, with Clare taking the helm of Knipe Whiting Heath & Associates Limited some years back when Jeff took semi retirement.

Clare said: “Jeff’s passing has been a shock to us all, I can’t believe he’s no longer with us having worked side by side with him for so many years.

"He was an excellent tax accountant. His invaluable mentoring when I first joined the practice stood me in good stead when I took over the main responsibility.

"He will be greatly missed by myself and the team. I feel deeply for his wife Jane and her sudden loss.”

The practice is well known in Hereford and Clare will continue overseeing Jeff’s clients and looks forward to working with them, supported as always by the dedicated staff team.

Clare continues “Jeff’s ethos for the firm was to understand our clients personally and to care about people. Today, we stand by this and will continue to do so to honour our memory of Jeff."

In his earlier years, Jeff was a keen squash player and footballer and those close to him will recall his claim to fame that his dog could bounce a ball off his head down the whole length of a football pitch.

He was a keen rugby supporter and ventured to Cardiff on numerous occasions to watch the rugby internationals.

A close friend of Jeff’s, Mark Adcocks, director of Print Plus said: “Jeff was a true friend to both myself and a lot of other people, he will be sadly missed."

John Wood, founder of John Wood Tyres, said: “The relationship with Jeff was more than just professional, and this personal relationship helped me progress the business. Jeff will be sadly missed.”

The funeral for Jeff Whiting will take place on June 4 at 1.30pm at Hereford Crematorium.