Page 62 - The Old Ratcliffian 2015 Magazine

62 OBITUARIES

disinterest in judging others. Those qualities were most evident And it’s worth while seeking him half your days
in the last couple of years, which were undoubtedly tough. John If you find him before the other.
adored his parents; his father, Freddie, died in July 2013, and Nine hundred and ninety-nine depend
soon afterwards, his mother, Mandy, was struck down with On what the world sees in you,
illness. He spent months, with his sister Cathy, ‘zig-zagging’ But the Thousandth Man will stand your friend
across the country every week to see Mandy. With the whole round world agin you.

John found happiness easily, in the simple pleasures of ‘Tis neither promise nor prayer nor show
family, friends and home life. He was at ease with the younger Will settle the finding for ‘ee.
generation and generous in conversation. He was gentle, patient Nine hundred and ninety-nine of ‘em go
and consistent. He was as steady as a rock. By your looks, or your acts, or your glory.
But if he finds you and you find him,
At his funeral, Cathy read from The Thousandth Man by Rudyard The rest of the world don’t matter;
Kipling: For the Thousandth Man will sink or swim
With you in any water.
One man in a thousand, Solomon says,
Will stick more close than a brother. Matthew Reeve (81)

RICHARD WHEELER

OLD RATCLIFFIAN 1955 - 1962
1943 - 2015

Many of you will have read in the newspapers of the tragic death
of Richard Wheeler, one of the finest all-round sportsmen that
Ratcliffe has ever produced. Richard and his wife, Grace, were
murdered at their home in Tobago in what appears to have been
a botched robbery.

Richard will be remembered by his Ratcliffe contemporaries as Richard Wheeler (62) with his wife, Grace
an outstanding sportsman who captained both the rugby and
cricket teams, and was hockey vice-captain. He also enjoyed as a parting gift when they set off for Trinidad and we sallied
athletics, and played a mean game of tennis for Lockhart. He won forth for a year travelling around the United States.
School Colours for rugby, cricket and hockey, and was Captain of
Lockhart, as well as being awarded House Colours. Richard initially went to Trinidad, where Grace was born, to work
for the government there. He later set up his own firm, Wheeler
Throughout his time at Ratcliffe, Richard was at the very heart and Co, in the 1980s, selling it in 1988 to move back to Britain.
of school life. He was an active member of the Scout Troop, After a brief stint working in Hong Kong, he moved to Tobago
before joining the CCF and becoming a corporal. His talents with his family sixteen years ago. He was deeply attached to
even extended to music and theatre. He was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago, where his big personality suited the
Music Society, played in the Band and the Concert Band, as lifestyle of the Caribbean.
well as taking leading roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and
Ruddigore. In recent years, he was a partner in Lex Caribbean and specialised
in property development and conveyancing. He was also a
Richard was an amazing, larger-than-life character with member of the Tobago Chamber of Commerce. He remained a
tremendous dynamism and good humour. I knew Richard from keen rugby player and is thought to have played for Trinidad and
my earliest years, as our families holidayed together in the Lake Tobago before becoming a referee.
District in the 1950s. He was a few years older than me, but I
remember his enormous energy during long days on the beach,
where the sun always seemed to shine. He was never without
a bat or ball, and rarely had time for sandy tomato sandwiches
between furiously competitive games of cricket involving every
member of our families who could stand.

Richard was born in Sheffield and qualified as a solicitor in 1973. Richard leaves three sons: Geoffrey, who lives in Hong Kong,
We became good friends in the early 1970s and spent many Simon, who lives in China, and Michael, who lives in Tobago.
happy evenings enjoying a glass of wine and listening to Rolling
Stones records. I gave Richard and Grace two Rolling Stones LPs Alistair Macdonald (67)

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