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Emeritus Professor John Levy
John Levy, a stalwart of the congregation at Holy Trinity
for nearly thirty five years, passed away on the 11th of August. John
and Hazel bought their home in Washington Road in 1965 and moved there
after his term as warden of a hall of residence at Imperial College,
South Kensington ended in 1970. He was a regular attendee from that
time until failing health made it impossible for him to do so and he
was taken into Ashmead nursing home earlier this year. He passed away
peacefully in Kingston Hospital soon after Godfrey Holdstock served
him his last communion. Hazel is as keen as ever to take part in the
activities at Holy Trinity. His funeral at Holy Trinity, as well as
a memorial service at St. Mary’s, Putney were very well attended
by his family, friends and colleagues.
John was the son of a metallurgist who met his wife, the daughter of
a Cornish miner, whilst prospecting for a mining company in Brazil.
His birth was registered at the British Consulate to retain his British
citizenship. At the age of eighteen months he contracted polio, and
was taken home to Cornwall by his mother. No treatment for polio existed
in those days, but such remedies as rubbing seaweed on the leg were
tried in desperation. Many devices were tested to support his right
leg, but John found a single crutch by far the most manoeuvrable. His
father returned home in 1925 and the family settled in Ewell in Surrey.
John went to Ewell Castle School, of which he later became a governor.
Alongside his studies, he learnt to swim in the school lake and to play
cricket, for which he was awarded house colours.
In 1941, John went to Imperial College to study botany and graduated
in 1945. He joined the Imperial College Boat Club and coxed the 1st
VIII during the war. He became captain of the Royal College of Science
BC and vice captain of ICBC. Later he became Treasurer of ICBC and was
elected President in 1980.
Whilst studying at IC major advances in the field of artificial limbs
had been made at Roehampton, due to the influx of war victims. At his
own request he had his leg amputated above the knee in December 1942
and was fitted with an artificial one. His leg always went by the name
of “George”.
John joined the staff of the Botany department in 1945 as a Demonstrator,
rose steadily through the academic ranks and became Professor of Wood
Science in 1981. He was a popular lecturer as well as running a research
group that was highly respected worldwide. One of his former PhD students
once wrote of him:
John taught me a lot about wood, but more than that he taught me
to marshal my thoughts and present myself, how to deal gracefully
with those with whom one disagrees, how to motivate colleagues and,
above all, he set the gold standard of how to be a warm human being.
As was said to me prior to my first meeting with him, “He likes
people, so if you’re a person you’re at an immediate advantage”.
After graduating from IC he joined neighbours Thames Rowing Club. He
coxed their VIII at Henley four times in the '40s, served in various
offices eventually and became President of that club, and of Kingston
Regatta.
John and Hazel had four children, all of whom sang in the choir at Holy
Trinity at various times. He joined the Parochial Church Council in
the ’80s and served on it for ten years. He was Chairman of Churches
Together in Barnes for three years in the '90s. He was also Co-ordinator
of Stillingfleet (now Castelnau) Community Centre from its inception.
He achieved a tremendous amount in his full life by any standards.
To have done so much with his disability was remarkable. He never allowed
it to stop him doing anything, and never complained once. Everyone who
knew him respected and admired him. May he rest in peace. He will be
fondly remembered and sadly missed. |
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