Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a popular expat after he was revealed to be among the seven Brits killed in last week’s Almeria wildfire.
Ian Jarvis, originally from Headcorn in Kent, had built a new life with his wife, Dawn, in the mountain village of Bedar after moving to Spain.
Friends described him as a keen motorcyclist with a dry sense of humour who had been living the retirement he had always dreamed of.
His funeral will take place at Los Gallardos Tanatorio at 4.30pm on Tuesday, according to a notice shared by the Bedar Village People community group.
Friends who knew Ian personally have been invited to join Dawn in celebrating his life, although the family has asked that places inside the service be reserved for those who knew him well due to limited capacity.
In a touching request, Dawn has also asked mourners not to wear traditional funeral attire, instead encouraging everyone attending to ‘dress comfortably’.
Those unable to attend the service will be able to raise a glass in Ian’s memory afterwards at El Cortijo, where friends, neighbours and members of the local community are expected to gather.
The tragedy has deeply affected the close-knit expat community in Bedar, where Jarvis was well known.
His Facebook profile described him as a ‘lay about and international man of mystery’, while recent posts showed him enjoying life in the Spanish sunshine.
Just two days before the wildfire claimed his life, the 67-year-old shared a smiling selfie from a swimming pool, writing: ‘It’s just too nice not to be in the pool!’
He had also recently posted photographs from a motorcycle museum, reflecting his lifelong passion for bikes.
Friends said he loved MotoGP and had travelled extensively by motorcycle, including trips to the Isle of Man TT races and the Sahara Desert.
As news of his death spread, dozens of emotional tributes appeared online.
One friend wrote: ‘Miss this cheesy man, RIP Ian.’
Another said: ‘God bless you. Loved your funny dry sense of humour… and your absolute love of your life, beautiful Dawn. RIP Ian.’
A fellow MotoGP fan added: ‘We always had time for a chat and to put the world to rights. I always looked forward to catching up with him. He will be missed.’
Another tribute read: ‘Your loss will be felt by so many Ian, my thoughts are with your family.’
Jarvis is among the 13 victims who lost their lives when the fast-moving wildfire tore through Los Gallardos and Bedar on July 9, fuelled by extreme heat, strong winds and tinder-dry vegetation.
The victims included seven British nationals, three Belgians, one French citizen, one American and one Spaniard, making it one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires in decades.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
