Tributes to Dick Marshall...

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A message from Mike Jeffery:

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Along with thousands of other sports fans in South East Essex we were shocked to hear of the sudden death of Dick. To all who had the privilege to know him he was passionate about sport, always interested in promoting sport for the good and a gentlemen. His reporting always reflected the true story. Southend AC has seen some fine articles celebrating our successes over the years. In fact the articles were often a family affair - Reporter - Dick Marshall, Photographer - Luanne Marshall and Runner - Kristina Marshall.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time..

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A message from June Cork:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I was stunned when Mike Jeffery telephoned to tell me about Dick, but then I think everyone who knew him is having enormous

 difficulty digesting this terribly sad news.

He has been filling up the sports pages of the Echo with his reports for many, many years. He was always ready to discuss sport whether on the phone or by email.

He could be relied upon to be there at all the local major sports events, with his cheery smile and a greeting for everyone. It seems rather strange that I won't be sending him any more press reports; I can barely remember a time when I didn't! Commiserations to everyone at the Echo, particularly the Sports desk on the loss of their friend and colleague, but most of all, of course, to his wife and children.

 

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A message from Dave Ainsworth, Ilford AC, and Editor, Essex Walker:
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It is with profound sadness that we report the death of Dick, aged 63, who was a bowel cancer sufferer. Dick has been one of local sports greatest supporters...in his role as journalist. He was 100% for athletics and always wrote well of race walking. Dick started out in the early 70s when he worked on the Southend Standard, with Roger Buxton (another true friend of walking). Dick moved to the Basildon-based "Evening Echo" and was still working for them when he died. For 37 years Dick worked for the same company - a real example of loyalty in these times. June Cork has expressed how much he was appreciated at Southend-on-Sea AC. It was Dick who brought us that dramatic story of the big Southend-on-Sea AC walking bust-up in the mid-70s, and despite moving to Cardiff it was Dick who wrote passionately over the failure of Wales to select Bob Dobson for their Commonwealth Games team. Dick chronicled the success of Olly Flynn on many occasions and, of course, his Commonwealth Games gold medal. The rise of many promising Canvey Island sportsmen and women was all publicised in Dick's regular reports. He wrote of Iron-Man Kevin Perry's rise from Club athlete to National Champion and of him being honoured by Southend Sports Council. And can we ever forget his support for Essex Police promotions, most notably that wonderful whole-page/back-page account on that Gloucester Park race which saw Victor Spain triumph as a "dark horse". We could go on...and on. Dick will be remembered as a sports journalist who looked for the positive and good things that he found in local sport. We thank him for his genuine interest in race walking and extend our condolences to his family and other relations.