Obituary: Mr Roger (Bob) Wilcox, 1934-2012
Bishop Clive Handford, formerly Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf and Presiding Bishop of the Province remembers a devoted servant of the church:
All who knew him were shocked to learn of the death of Bob Wilcox on 18th April after a short illness. Bob was a Director of the Jerusalem and the East Mission Trust, a member of the JMECA Council and of the Committee of the Friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.
The first part of Bob’s working life was in the Army which he joined as a boy entrant. Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps took him to such places as Singapore, Nepal, India, Cyprus and Germany. It was in Nepal that he met Emily who was an Army Nurse. They celebrated their Golden Wedding last December. Bob left the Army at the age of thirty nine in the rank of Major.
Moving to Abu Dhabi in 1976 as Administrator of the Corniche Hospital, Bob began a strong link with the Middle East which would last for the rest of his life. It was there that his faith was quickened and his involvement in the active life of the Church became clear. Among other skills, he was a most efficient Church Council secretary, helpful in all manner of ways, not least in local relations. Senior posts were to follow in Riyadh, Jeddah, Kenya and Germany.
Settling back into England at Nether Wallop, Bob was closely involved in the local Church as well as the Parish Council of which for a time he was chairman. Moving some four years ago to Downton, south of Salisbury, he and Emily soon became part of the community, especially that of St Laurence’s Church where Bob was successively treasurer and churchwarden. His faith, which had deepened and strengthened over the years, was, with his family, the bedrock of his life.
Impeccably dressed, whatever the occasion, and always moving with a sense of purpose, the outward appearance mirrored the inner man. Bob loved life and was always interested in people. His efficiency had a human face. Whatever he undertook he gave himself unstintingly. He was ready to think hard, form a view and express it cogently and constructively, with a good deal of commonsense. He was no admirer of pretentiousness or waffle.
Bob will be greatly missed. As we thank God for his life, we express our deep sympathy to Emily, their sons Duncan and Alisdair and their families. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
