‘OUTGOING AND KIND’ FORMER TEACHER DIES FROM COVID-19
FAMILY OF BOB DICK PRAISE ‘AMAZING’ HOSPITAL STAFF -
He was an amazing human being and a great teacher of art! He was old school with a big heart and I, like so many of his colleagues, will miss him dearly. Peter Mascall
A MUCH-loved former Grimsby teacher has tragically died after contracting Covid-19.
Bob Dick, 72, was head of art at Wintringham School in Grimsby and taught art for around 40 years. He also taught in Scunthorpe. He had suffered a stroke and later tested positive for coronavirus while receiving treatment. His family have praised all the staff at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital and those who cared for him at Cambridge Park rehabilitation unit as well the ambulance staff who took him to and from the care centres.
He died in hospital from Covid19, pneumonia and kidney failure, his wife Elizabeth said.
At home he was known as Rob. She told the Grimsby Telegraph: “He had had several strokes and his condition deteriorated over time. He had been in hospital and at the therapeutic centre in and out for about six weeks. He contracted the virus in between going in and out of hospital sometime and tested positive a couple of days before he died.
“I am not blaming the hospital. They were all brilliant. We were able to be with him in his final days and they allowed us to go in and provided us with PPE and be with him. The staff were amazing. It has been a great comfort for us to have been with him and we cannot thank all the hospital staff enough for what they did. We all have nothing but admiration for them all.”
“We had been anticipating this for a long while. But when it comes it does not seem real.
Bob, a father-of-two and grandfather to three, died on November 11, after a long career in education. Originally from the Tamworth area he moved to Grimsby to study art. While at the art college on Nuns Corner in the late 1960s, he met Elizabeth.
He studied further at university in London and did a post graduate degree in teaching.
“In those days, there were lots of parties and all sorts and you were part of a crowd. Rob was amazingly skilled and out-going and kind. We had a similar taste in music,” told Elizabeth.
He worked as a fork lift driver on Grimsby Docks for a while and he and Elizabeth bought a derelict house to do up, before he went back into teaching. He taught at Riddings in Scunthorpe and then at Havelock in Grimsby before moving to Wintringham which then became Oasis Academy. Elizabeth said: “He loved teaching. He was offered a place at The Royal College of Art but he turned it down to carry on teaching. He loved graphics and did quite a bit of freelance graphics.
“His passion was teaching and where ever we went people were forever stopping him and telling him how much they enjoyed his lessons when they were at school. We could not go for a walk in the park without people talking to him,” she said.
As head of art, Bob was instrumental in redesigning the art department at Wintringham after an arson attack destroyed the classrooms and all the students’ artwork in 2003.
Three teenagers were jailed for a total of four years.
His art block underwent a £100,000 rebuild of which he was most proud.
He was also enthusiastic about motor bikes which he spent many hours with.
Once retired in 2008, he bought a camper van and travelled extensively, including Italy.
He and Elizabeth also visited China, India, Turkey and Cyprus. Elizabeth said: “He had the life he wanted and the life he enjoyed. He would do anything for anybody.”
Colleague David Urquhart said: “A great teacher, colleague and friend who made the best home brew in the country.”
Fellow teacher Peter Mascall said: “There were several teachers I admired from that era but Bob was one of the the very best. He was a very inspirational teacher and the students really enjoyed his lessons! I can honestly say that I had never seen him without a big smile or sounding down about anything!
“He was an amazing human being and a great teacher of art! He was old school with a big heart and I, like so many of his colleagues, will miss him dearly.”
Bob is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, son Tom, who is director of learning at Nottingham College, son Andy an ITV cameraman, three grandchildren and sister Frances.
His family has chosen Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell,” Dire Straits’ “Walk of Life” and a Beach Boys song to play at his funeral which is for family members only at 3pm on Tuesday, December 1, at Grimsby Crematorium.