Walter Huggett, of Upham, near Bishop's Waltham, who has died at the age of 90, was a stalwart of the Winchester constituency Liberal-Democrat party.

Above all, he was a man of great moral and mental stature, with the ability to reason and communicate with all and to use his talents across a wide range of abilities throughout a long and happy life.

Although, in his last few months, his sight and hearing diminished, he maintained his interest and his sense of humour.

Born in Surrey, Walter's earliest recollections were of a Zeppelin raid on London and of being dressed in a sailor suit for the official attendance at a victory marchpast in 1918.

His father was a very able engineer, who founded the Express Lift Company, and was awarded the OBE for services in lift design for aircraft carriers, and his mother was a well-known concert singer.

Walter himself achieved Higher National Certificates in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and worked in the electrical and metallurgy fields.

Having previously joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, in 1939, he donned naval uniform and began five years' service which was to take him from small minesweepers as a signalman, finishing as a lieutenant commander specialising in U-boat detection.

Walter would often reminisce about the war days when he was seconded to the US Navy to assist with their sonar development, involving several transatlantic trips, service in Iceland and being bombed in Plymouth.

Returning to his home in Bath after the war, Walter set up a small company manufacturing electrical switch gear and also dealt in non-ferrous metals. He became a Liberal councillor for the City of Bath and chaired a number of committees, being elected mayor for 1970-71.

Walter and his wife, Peggy, lived in Bath for 35 years and when they retired to her home village of Upham, they maintained strong relationships with the city, returning for the annual mayor making and other events.

Indeed, retirement proved to be no "rest cure" for either of them. For 20 years, Walter worked tirelessly for the Liberal-Democrat cause in organising, recruiting and canvassing in the Bishop's Waltham Division and becoming president of the constituency party, following in the footsteps of John Arlott.

Peggy's "pancake parties" were always a high spot of the social calendar.

Politics were not Walter's sole interest. During retirement, he took golf up again at the age of 60, having earlier rowed at Henley and played rugby for Bath. He became captain of the "veterans" team at Hockley, where he had many friends where he achieved a handicap of 14.

Making very drinkable "hedgerow fruit" wine was one of his hobbies and the sun being "over the yard arm" was excuse enough for a tasting. While almost always completing the cryptic crosswords in the Guardian, Walter also found time to learn to paint and he produced many portraits and landscapes, which were often in exhibitions to assist in Peggy's work for a number of charities.

Walter's friends will miss him dearly as a great man in so many fields of human endeavour. He was a wonderful husband and father to his sons, in the UK and Fiji, and to his daughter, Charmain, who lives in Australia. Contributed