THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO FRIENDS OF SUMMERTIME DANCING WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY SINCE APRIL 2009

George Findlay

We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of George Findlay. George, and his wife Mary, were on holiday in Tenerife when he was taken ill and spent several days in hospital there in intensive care.   He was subsequently transferred to Kingston Hospital in Surrey where he passed away on the 10th February.

George and Mary ran the Ace Old Time Dance Club at Hook in Surrey for many years. He had also served on the Committee of the Old Time Dance Society.

We extend to Mary and family our sincere condolences.

Grace Crouch

It is with great sadness that we have learnt that Grace Crouch has passed away following a major stroke. Grace and her husband Geoff (photo left) have been supporters of Summertime's Golden Oldies Club. Grace with her husband have also been members of various sequence clubs in the area for many years and Grace has always been cheerful despite illness. Our deepest sympathy goes to her husband Geoff and the rest of her family.

Nigel Carter 15/12/2010

Marge Day

We were very upset to learn the Marge Day passed away on the 18th May 2010 aged 87. Marge has been a stalwart of Summertime Dancing having been a founder member. She was also a member of Normandy Sequence Dance Club for 50 years and, until recently, a long serving member of the Old Time Dance Society. Marge was the chief teamaker at all Summertime Dancing's events including Richard's regular Garden Parties. In this she was aided by her great friend, Ethel Madgwick, who passed away last year and the pair of them were known as the "Hinge and Bracket" of Summertime Dancing.

Marge will be greatly missed and to her many friends and family we offer our sincere condolences at this time.

Nigel Carter 19//5/2010

Roy Stansall

We were deeply saddened to learn of the recent death of Roy Stansall of Fawley, Southampton. Roy, together with his wife Shirley, were relatively new friends of Summertime Dancing and had joined us on a couple of our dancing holiday week-ends, more recently in March this year.

Roy will be sadly missed and we extend to Shirley and family our deepest sympathy.

Joyce Hutchins

3rd May 2010

Monty Pearce

It is with much regret that we have learnt that Monty Pearce passed away on the 30th January 2010.

Monty will be well remembered by those of us who have been Old Time dancing for some years as he was the forerunner of the organists and keyboard players that we now enjoy. He had a series of CD s featuring quite a lot of traditional old time music which he played in his own recognisable style.

Monty was a member of the OTDS for about 15 years and followed the late Brian Smith as 2nd President of the Society for 3 years.

To his family and many friends we offer our sincere condolences.

Richard Purcell

31/1/2010

Geoff Elderton: 13th July 1937 - 6th December 2009

It is with great sadness that I find myself writing to tell you of the loss of another friend.

Geoff had been battling cancer for over a year but I had coffee with him just over a week ago when he was chatting about dancing as usual. Unexpectedly he was taken ill with complications and went into hospital a week ago last Friday where he had several emergency operations. Sadly this was just a step too far for Geoff and he passed away on Sunday morning with his family at his bedside.

When Geoff met Sylvian the only way he could woo her was to take up dancing so he took on the challenge, took lessons, they married and have been dancing ever since. I have known them both for many years as they took over the Fairlands Sequence Dance Club just over 30 years ago when I left and have been teaching there ever since.

They were the leading Professional couple in our area also running a club at Addlestone as well as being Chairman and teaching for the Wey Valley Association, a collection of over 30 local clubs. In addition they taught at the professional teachers organisation Sandscott. Holding Fellowships in several Societies they were ideally placed to teach sequence dancing as they were qualified in Old Time, Ballroom and Latin and the loss of Geoff s expertise will be a great blow to his many friends in the area.

As well as competing in their early days they also toured the country to dance inventive competitions whilst adjudicating at some events, they were always interested in the newer sequence and classical dances teaching many of them at their clubs and the associations.

Last year Geoff was re-elected as Vice President of the Old Time Dance Society, chuckling when he beat me into second place, but we didn t really worry as we have been exchanging views for so long and each valued the others point of view. I always sought his advice on dancing and the new dances and got a frank appraisal of what he thought which I shall now greatly miss.

It seems difficult to believe that 18 months ago he was up a thirty foot ladder painting the front of my house and shouting down  where s the coffee then . Joyce, Joan, Gerald and I with the members of Summertime will miss Geoff tremendously and we all extend our sincere condolences to Sylvian and his family.

Richard Purcell

Ethel Madgwick 1915 - 2009

It with great sadness that I find myself writing to you all again with the sad death of  our Madge as she was affectionately known.

It is difficult to imagine that she was born just 3 years after the sinking of the Titanic and the Great War was already into its second year. What amazing changes she witnessed in 94 years from motor cars to flying, another war, TV, space flight, mobile phones and computers etc.

Although her health had deteriorated in the past 12 months until August she could still be seen pottering around in her beloved red Mini not to be outdone by her great friend Marjorie Day  Marg also racing around but on her bike! Both Madge and Marg (sometimes known as Hinge & Bracket) regularly helped the  old people at the Shawfield Day Centre in Ash, Madge spending hours on her feet helping do hair despite being many years their senior.

Madge supported Summertime Old Time Club right from the very start and had previously been a member of both the Normandy and Ash Vale Sequence clubs for many years. She loved her OT dancing and joined the OTDS in 1996 enjoying the dancing holidays and always reading the newsletter to keep up to date with the goings on.

To her Family, great friend Marg and her many others friends, she is gone but will never be forgotten and we offer our sincere wishes at a difficult time.

Richard Purcell 24/9/09

Ray Hatswell

Ray Hatswell passed away whilst we were all dancing at our holiday in Bournemouth, a holiday that he and his wife Carol were to have attended. They both helped at the Greenford OTDC and also joined the OTDS in June 1998. Ray was often to be seen at our events outside with me having an interval cigarette and we grew to know each other quite well through these interludes and I always enjoyed his dry sense of humor. He was just successfully recovering from an operation when he was diagnosed with an unrelated illness that proved a step too far. To his wife Carol, his family and many friends in the dancing world we offer our sincere thoughts and cherish our happy memories.

(Photo taken from 2004 holiday video)

Richard Purcell 15/9/09

Marion Pemberton

Marion Pemberton (photo left with her husband Ron) passed away suddenly on Sunday but had been dancing as usual very recently. She and Ron ran the Send Sequence Dance Club for many years and were still running the club at the Vyne near Woking. Both had regularly supported our OT club and through the summer also our Golden Oldies Sequence club, often leading dances for us. We recently attended their Diamond Wedding Anniversary which we reported on this website. To Ron, her husband of 60 years, her family and friends we shall miss her and offer our thoughts at this difficult time.

Richard Purcell 15/9/09

Ted Tedder

We were deeply saddened to learn of the recent death of Ted Tedder of Hampton Green, Gloucestershire. Ted and his wife Eileeen were loyal supporters of Summertime Dancing having visited us at Normandy and joined us on many of our Old Time week-ends in Bournemouth, the last occasion being in January this year. They were also members of the Old Time Dance Society.

We extend to Eileen and family our sincere condolences at this time. Hopefully at some time in the future, we will see Eileen back on the dance floor.

Joyce and Richard 13th May 2009

Mac Macdonell

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our friend  Mac Macdonell after a long battle with illness. Mac was a supporter of Summertime OT dances and holidays right from the beginning and is pictured left (centre) with his wife Gwen and friend Philip (Alton MSDC) at our Bournemouth holiday in 2003. We extend our condolences to Gwen and his family from all our Summertime members.

Richard Purcell 17/4/09