Great Scot April 2019 Great Scot_156_April_2019_Online | Page 100

Obituaries VALE — DR ROGER MICHAEL SLADE (Staff 1976-2007) Scotch Archivist, Paul Mishura, wrote: Dr Roger Michael Slade was born at Cobham, England, on 22 July 1945. He studied Science at Leeds University, leaving with first class honours, and a PhD, and married Maureen Valerie Lansbury at at St Botolph’s Church, Helpston, England, on 26 August 1967. After meeting a Monash University chemistry professor in England, Roger came to Australia in 1972 as a research supervisor. Roger and Maureen had expected to stay only a few years in Australia, but the births of children Cathy (1974), Andrew (SC 1990-95) and Melanie (1983) changed their minds. Roger completed a DipEd and began at Scotch as a Chemistry and General Science teacher in 1976. He became an inspirational teacher who strove to find better ways of helping students to understand Chemistry, including writing several very successful Year 11 and 12 textbooks. A passionate runner, Roger coached nine cross country premiership teams. He ran with the boys at training, with many struggling to get near him. In his 20 years of coaching athletics, Roger naturally specialised in middle distance. He coached 12 orienteering 100 Great Scot Number 156 – April 2019 teams from 1990, with a Mars Bar on offer to any boy who could beat him. In eight of the ten 24 Hour Hikes he completed, Roger exceeded 100 kilometres. Appointed Housemaster of Orton in 1979, and Head of Year 11 in 1985, Roger was made Dean of Studies in 1991. This flexible role included the significant challenge of preparing timetables, and teaching Science, IT, and Geography. Although he retired in 2007, Roger returned to Scotch to teach in Term 1, 2010, replacing Neale Peters who was on long service leave. Roger continued his passion for running, eventually competing in 1243 Park and Street Orienteering events. For exceeding 1000 events he was awarded Legend Member status. The Dr Roger M Slade Prize for Cross Country is awarded annually to the Captain of Cross Country at Scotch. Roger and Maureen enjoyed the theatre, opera, travel, and their five grandchildren. Surrounded by his family, Roger died of ampullary carcinoma at Jessie McPherson Private Hospital, Clayton, on 15 February 2019. Orienteering Victoria renamed its inter-school Park and Street Orienteering trophy the Roger Slade Cup.