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A.O.S.A. 2002 ANNUAL REPORT |
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This Magazine
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We are very sorry to announce the death, after a short illness, of our immediate Past President Arthur Grainge on 16th December, 2001.
Arthur was at Ayton from 1946-52. He was a Stokesley lad, born and bred. He said; “I preferred sports and comedy to a life of academe and it was noticeable in my reports.” But he was no slouch, going on to accountancy followed by a career change into computer programming with which he continued in Canada until his retirement. Arthur married Celia, an Ayton girl, and they had one daughter Alison who lives about an hour’s drive from Arthur’s home in Ottawa. In 1984 Arthur had the first of his health problems, having his lower right leg amputated. It was during his recuperation he decided he wanted to know where all his Ayton School pals had got to and set about his search. Together with Gill Jackson he traced forty-six of the “1944-55 gang” persuading a number to attend a Reunion in 1985 followed by a much bigger get-together at the AOSA Centenary in 1988 and an even bigger Reunion in 1996 – our collective 60th Birthday Party. There were others involved along the way helping to swell and make these “1944-55 get-togethers” the success they were, and consequently causing a knock on effect on the Association as a whole. The knock on effect was the enthusiasm generated in a number of year groups to form their own get-togethers and thereby a groundswell of interest in Ayton Old Scholar matters with all the friendships renewed and strengthened as a result. When Gill Jackson took over the Editorship of the AOSA Annual Report – the “Mag” – twelve years ago, Neil Fox, knowing that his brother-in-law Stephen Atkinson was wanting to relinquish his DS role for the then Area 16, suggested to Gill that Arthur might be a good choice in his stead. In 1994 she asked Arthur if he would undertake contacting overseas old scholars for their news to be included in the “News of Old Scholars” section of the Mag. He took to this with his customary enthusiasm – e-mailing and snail-mailing in a prolific stream of correspondence – but adding an extra dimension in that he not only collected the News he wrote it up as well, and in his own inimitable style. He wrote as he spoke; well and very entertainingly. His will be a very hard act to follow. In Millennium year Arthur became the 94th AOSA President in recognition of his service to the Association. His Presidential Address was, I believe, unique. It was articulate, witty, having a laugh at staff, studies and School life in general. His admitted liking for comedy at School shone through; Arthur’s Presidential Address rates as a classic (and may be found in the 2001 Annual Report.) Arthur was told he had cancer only a little while ago but regrettably his illness was too far advanced to make surgery an option. Arthur had taken this terrible news very calmly and with a great deal of courage. He said very little to anyone about this – other than he had a few health problems. On Saturday 15th December – the day after he was admitted to May Court Hospice, in Ottawa – he told his wife and daughter, and close friends, very quietly, that he was going to slip away. Less than 24 hours later he left us, peacefully and with dignity. Arthur's funeral was on Wednesday 19th December at 2.30 pm local time. A floral tribute in Arthur's memory on behalf of Ayton Old Scholars' Association had been sent and was on his casket. About 110 friends and family attended Arthur’s funeral at which his daughter Alison and close friend Anthony Johansen delivered their eulogies. Arthur’s New Orleans Jazz band played “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and later “The Old Rugged Cross.” Afterwards the Band followed the hearse for a while playing lively funeral music and there were women with parasols dancing along behind – a little different from New Orleans as there was fresh snow on the ground. All in all Arthur would have thoroughly approved. There will be a huge gap where Arthur was – both for his personal friends and all who were acquainted with him. His memory will remain as long as those who knew him are still around. Dick Dennis (1944-52) December 2001 |
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It
is not usual to pay detailed tributes to old scholars – except when a
particular old scholar has made a significant impact on the Association;
Arthur Grainge was one such old scholar.