In Memory - Tony Reeve (1933 - 2016)

Tony was born in Norwich on 4th August 1933, and brought up in Cambridge. His father was a salesman and his mother, a formidable woman, worked in the civil service. After his parents separated he and his beloved brother Christopher remained with their mother. Tony attended Perse School on a Scholarship, and joined the choir, beginning his lifelong love of music. It was while living in Cambridge he met Hazel, who was to become his wife. Tony joined the RAF to do national service, was based in Norfolk, and afterwards went to St John's College, Cambridge to study history. After graduating Tony joined the Design Council, living in Twickenham. Tragically, his brother Christopher died of leukemia at a young age, an event which affected Tony deeply.

Tony and Hazel had two children: a daughter, Chris, and a son, Alex. The family lived in a number of places, including Woking, Purley and Beaconsfield, and took up sailing as a hobby which Tony would continue to enjoy well into his sixties. The family would often re-enact their day's sailing over dinner using cutlery and salt and pepper pots in place of boats and buoys.

Around 1982 Tony and Hazel divorced. They remained on very good terms, seeing each other often. Tony lived in Bracknell initially, close to his employer, the engineering company Sulzer. While living in there he met Muriel who was to become his dearest friend. They came close to marriage but never quite took the plunge and, instead, visited each other regularly and spoke most days on the phone, often making each other weep with laughter.

Tony moved to Marlow to be closer to his children and five grand-children whom he adored. He became a major contributor to the Marlow Society as a Trustee, the Chairman of the History Group and as a researcher and guide for our walking tours of the town. He maintained his love of history by reading extensively and writing booklets on the Shelleys and other aspects of Marlow's past. He became very active in the researching of family history. More recently he enjoyed working in the local museum and had become a member of the Marlow Rotary Club. He loved to paint in watercolours, mainly buildings, and had an acute eye for proportions and perspective. He was also an excellent cartoonist. He played a lot of golf, without ever improving his handicap, and enjoyed travelling, taking a number of cruises with Muriel and also visiting his daughter Chris and her family after they had moved to Australia.

Tony loved to spend time with his friends and family. He got on well with everyone and had a reputation as a bit of a charmer. He was polite, erudite and always well turned out; the archetypal English gentleman. He will be missed by everyone who knew him.