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Eynsham Village News

Clive Stone MBE (1947-2016) 16 Jun 2016 A service of thanksgiving for the life of Clive Stone was held in St Leonard's Church today

CLIVE STONE, who lost his battle with cancer earlier this month, joined the bank as a school leaver. He was told he should not expect much promotion because he was brought up on a council estate. But with his fighting spirit, which was evident in all he did to the end of his life, he proved them wrong.

His five years in Eynsham were marked by his wife Jan’s death shortly after their arrival and by his own battle with ever-increasing cancer. Yet he thought little of his own health problems but devoted much time to campaigning for change, meeting David Cameron on several occasions and being awarded an MBE for services to cancer patients in 2011. He worked tirelessly in setting up the government’s Cancer Drugs Fund; and in recognition of this he was nominated to carry the Olympic Torch through Woodstock in 2012.

Locally, he set up a kidney patients’ group at the Churchill Hospital and served on a committee looking into hospital food. He gave emotional support and practical advice to many who phoned to ask for help; contributed weekly columns for the Oxford Mail on cancer related issues; and appeared in a series of TV programmes about cancer and other medical conditions.

Clive also helped to set up Eynsham Good Neighbour Network in September 2013, after many months’ work behind the scenes. He brought invaluable experience and advice to a very capable committee. He stepped down only as his cancer continued to progress.

As a member of St Leonard’s Church his Christian faith was a bulwark of support to him, with an emphasis on its outworking in everyday issues such as justice, poverty and tax evasion. In his last few years his two young granddaughters, together with his enduring sense of humour, helped to see him through times of increasing pain and weakness.

Clive was always good company and a good guest at anyone’s dinner table. When asked what he did before retiring he would say “a banker” followed immediately by “not the modern type!” His presence is missed in Eynsham by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

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