Obituary - Ray Poole - Cheddleton & Leek Chess Club

I have just received the following from Robert Milner :

Ray was born at Leek on 22^nd January 1934.  He was a team captain for Cheddleton and Leek for fifteen years and took over as Secretary of the club in 1989.  He also took over as Treasurer in 1994 and remained in both posts until illness caused him to retire in 2011.  He devoted a great deal of time and effort and love to chess and played correspondence chess for many years as well as playing over the board up to county level. During his later years he wrote fourteen books about Leek - the town of which he always felt a part - and the surrounding area.   He was one of the founders of the Leek Historical Society and served as Chairman for many years.  He remained a fount of knowledge on all aspects of Leek for the whole of his life.  He was also an important figure in the Methodist Church of which he was a lifelong member and much requested local preacher.  He was involved in every aspect of Leek life.  He was a lifelong supporter of Leek Cricket Club – the subject of one of his many books – and Lancashire County Cricket Club as well as Port Vale Football Club and, to a lesser extent, Stoke City Football Club.  He was a devoted brother to Brian and father to his two sons, Stephen and the late David, and grandfather to Alice, Jamie, Emily and Mietta and was married to Dorothy for fifty five years.  He was among the best of men and no-one ever said a bad word about him. He died early on Saturday morning 23^rd March 2013 after a long, lingering and cruel illness.  He will be sorely missed and can never be replaced..