Robert Wade 1921-2008

[Nick Thomas]

This was posted on TWIC this morning.

It is with extreme sadness that I have to report that Bob Wade, International Master, Arbiter, Journalist, friend to chess and friend to me died this morning at 3am from pneumonia he had been in hospital for three days. A full obituary will follow

[Sean Hewitt]

Sad news, a true gentleman.

[Ian Kingston]

Bob made a huge contribution to chess in this country. Player, organiser, arbiter, coach, librarian (a big thing in the pre-database days). Unique.

[John Saunders]

Yes, desperately sad. I have posted a short obit on the BCM website (http://www.bcmchess.co.uk) plus an interview I did with him in 1999. Of all the things I have done as BCM editor, interviewing Bob was the most pleasurable. A bit like when a chat show host used to get to interview a great raconteur like Peter Ustinov or David Niven - you only have to warm them up a little and off they go. Bob was like that. I do hope that people will read the interview as, despite being conducted nine years ago, it contains a lot that is relevant to various debates about British chess now.

I shall miss Bob terribly as I'm sure many others will. I shall especially miss him phoning me up to nag me about why I hadn't updated the Ceefax pages recently, or why I made some error in the BCM. It was rather like being told off by your favourite teacher. He did it because he cared deeply about chess - besides which, he could never keep it up for long and the conversation would always end in amiability and laughter. I can't write any more now as I'm starting to fill up...

[Ben Purton]

This is really really sad news. A Chess stalwart even to the youth. Condolances to Family and friends.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Very sad news - I first met him over 40 years ago, and after that he always came up for a cheery greeting and a few words, and sometimes to ask if I played the same bad openings of 15 years before (of course I had new ones) ...... He did a tremendous amount for chess and he could play a bit - beating Korchnoi and drawing with Fischer is something most players would be proud of.

Kevin

[John Saunders]

Just received the following from Jon Speelman...

Bob Wade's Funeral
---------------------------
The funeral will be on Tuesday December 16th at 10.15am at
Eltham Crematorium,
Crown Woods Way,
Eltham
London SE9 2AZ

It will be followed by a reception to be announced and in due course there will be a Memorial Service in central London.

All will be most welcome at all of these.

No flowers please.

Donations to the Bob Wade Memorial Fund care of the Executors of Robert Wade.
The full details will be announced in the next few days (hopefully during the week starting December 8th).

[John Saunders]

Bob Wade's funeral took place today (16 December) in Eltham. There was a very large turnout. Sad though the occasion was, it was heart-warming to see how many people paid their respects by attending his funeral.

I have blogged a summary of the funeral, which included some witty comments from the speakers, and there is a link to a page of photos.

http://bcmchess.blogspot.com/2008/12/bo ... -2008.html

Feel free to append your own tributes to Bob on the blog.

[Ben Purton]

Nice Pictures on facebook John... Everyone seems 'happy' so good celebration of life which is what a funeral should be.

Ben