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| 30 Apr 2017 | |
| Deaths & Obituaries |
| TATCHELL, Keith Reid Died on 19 April 2017, aged 83. Keith’s two sons write: Keith Tatchell died aged 83 on April 19th, after a short illness. He enjoyed his time at Tonbridge in Parkside and sent both his sons in his footsteps (John PS 75-80, Colin PS 80-84). The two Tonbridge stories he told were being a fag for Paddy Mayhew (later Lord Mayhew of Twysden) and having a role in a possibly apocryphal event where a belisha beacon was placed on the pepper pot on top of Big School on the night before his final Skinners’ Day. After Tonbridge, he joined the Marines for National Service where he contracted TB and was invalided out after spending two years in hospital and having half a lung removed. He then went up to Queens’ College, Cambridge and gained an M.A. in Natural Sciences. He proposed to Eileen, his long- term girlfriend, on Graduation Day, and during a marriage of fifty-nine years they went on to have three children, Susan being the eldest. Keith had a successful career in several capacities as an industrial chemist before taking early retirement in 1990. In his free time he continued to gain several language GCSEs as well as enjoying travel in France and Spain, and took to cruises in later life. He had a strong Christian faith throughout his life and spent several years in leadership roles within the Baptist and non-conformist churches they attended. He left behind his wife Eileen, his 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren and will be greatly missed for his intelligence, wit, happy smile and generosity. (PS 47-51) |
