Deaths

TIMOTHY SIMON GREY (H61) 3rd October 1943 – 15th February 2017.  ‘The glee and zest for life has characterised my whole existence.’  These words of Tim were lived out throughout his adventurous life, even from the time he was taken off to Rio de Janeiro in a cradle on a Merchant Vessel being chased by enemy submarines in late 1943.

This glee and zest for life got Tim in quite a bit of mischievous trouble both at Avisford Prep School and then at Ampleforth, but his charming forceful character and gift for passionate persuasion got him out of all sorts of scrapes both then and in future life, when he sailed perilously close to the wind.  His stories of adventure, such as the time when he got lost in the Atlas Mountains and drove his car over a cliff, were riveting though his audience were not always sure how far he embellished his story to captivate their imagination.

Tim’s early childhood followed his Diplomat father’s postings to Rio de Janeiro 1943-46, The Hague 1946-48, Lisbon 1948-51 and Moscow 1952-54 and may explain Tim’s zest for life-enhancing travel, even though he was torn between mischievous adventure and an inner spiritual and reflective side of his character.  The latter is evidenced by Tim after his schooling when he briefly joined the Monasteries of Parkminster Charterhouse and Caldey Island and in 1962 the Boys Republic below Rome, which he wrote about in the Ampleforth Journal of February 1963.

Further travel took Tim around Europe and Africa meeting his future wife Anne-Marie in Algeria and marrying her in 1968.  They settled in Morocco where their two children Christine and Mylene were born.  After his wife’s death he married in 2008 Cecile Van Der Eijden.  She brought great joy to Tim throughout the last years of his life.

Tim’s colourful personality and big heart touched the lives of so many.  He threw himself into whatever he did with great zest demonstrating his love for life including exercising his talents in goat farming and selling his cheeses in the local market, beekeeping, woodwork, photography, horticulture and newspaper reporting.

In the evening of his life Tim helped his wife look after foster children in their home with his usual bigheartedness, which never left him.  The priest conducting his funeral said, ‘Tim has just presented himself at Heaven’s door and the Father all powerful in love, must have welcomed him with open arms, saying to him, “What you did to the least among us, you did for me.  Enter into the joys of Paradise.”’  May he rest in peace and in the eternal embrace of God.

Should you wish to share your own memories or leave a message, please complete the form below quoting your name and we will publish your comments.

Rest in eternal peace.