I received the incredibly sad news today that my Cowley & 4ncl teammate Ray Starkie has passed away. It was at a 4ncl game in January when Ray suddenly felt unwell. Here is the notice posted on the Oxfordshire Chess website:
Ray Starkie (1955-2018)
I am very sad to have to announce that Ray Starkie died yesterday.
He was taken ill earlier this year and subsequently diagnosed with cancer of the throat, but the cancer had already spread too far for it to be treatable.
Ray was not merely a strong player but a highly respected figure on the Oxfordshire chess scene over several decades. He was a member of Cowley Chess Club for more than 40 years, playing throughout that time for our Division 1 teams in the League. He had also served as a team captain, as Chair of the club and as Editor of the clubs magazine, The Chequered Board. During my time at Cowley I have frequently had occasion to appreciate his courtesy, dry wit and always thoughtful comments and advice on club and county chess matters, and I was very fortunate to have him as a Cowley 2 teammate in the last few seasons.
We shall miss him.
Gerard OReilly (22 May 2018)
Ray Starkie
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Re: Ray Starkie
Dreadful news. I knew Ray for for more than forty years, and had many fine encounters with him over the chess board. He has been taken from us all too soon, and will be sorely missed.
As would be expected, very nice words from Gerard.
As would be expected, very nice words from Gerard.
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Re: Ray Starkie
I was Ray's team mate for many seasons at Cowley, and I am in complete agreement with Nick, Mike and Gerard's comments. This is very sad news.
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Re: Ray Starkie
I've just seen this terrible news and want to put on record how much of a help Ray was to me and others as junior players at Cowley and in the wider Oxfordshire area. He was a tough player with whom I had many battles during my teenage years.
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Re: Ray Starkie
I am genuinely shocked to hear this. I always had a great deal of time for Ray who was an old fellow club member and an opponent on a number of occasions.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
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Re: Ray Starkie
Really sorry to hear about this. I played Ray several times over the years when he was at Cowley and I was at Oxford City, and he was always a very strong and sporting opponent. Very sad that he has passed away so young.
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Re: Ray Starkie
Simon Charles, who is arranging matters, has told me that Ray's funeral will take place at 2pm on Monday 23 July at the Oxford Crematorium (Bayswater Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 9RZ).
(An apology: I mistakenly wrote in the announcement which Nick Burrows posted at the start of this thread that Ray was diagnosed with "cancer of the throat". I should have said "cancer of the oesophagus".)
(An apology: I mistakenly wrote in the announcement which Nick Burrows posted at the start of this thread that Ray was diagnosed with "cancer of the throat". I should have said "cancer of the oesophagus".)