Barrie Strange
Barrie Strange, President of Oxfordshire AA, passed away on Tuesday 9th June 2009 at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, following a battle with cancer. He was 74 years old.
Barrie has made an outstanding contribution to Oxfordshire County athletics over the past five decades. He was elected to the County Committee in 1960. He was Track and Field Championships Secretary 1965-1974, has been involved in this area of work ever since and had picked up the co-ordinating role again in recent years. He has been County Cross Country Secretary for the past 36 years and has also been a team manager for cross country and many track and field meetings for over 30 years. He was elected County Chairman for three years in the early 1980s and had served in that capacity again in recent years. He has been County President since 1997. All these jobs have always been done with the utmost efficiency and care. He achieved results without fuss or discord, and his support for younger members of his clubs and the whole of the County athletics community was always greatly appreciated.
As an athlete, Barrie competed in the 1948 Oxfordshire Schools Championships in the 220 yards. He joined Oxford City AC in 1953. Initially he competed as a high jumper, but by the late 1950s and early 1960s was specialising in the 880, where he ran sub-2 minutes and represented the County. After that period Barrie represented the club in all heavy throws (as well as most other events) in Southern League, British League and various veterans’ competitions. He was Club Captain 1957-63, Chairman 1963-65 and was elected Life Vice-President in 1990.
When there was interest in 1981 in forming a club in the Wantage area, where Barrie then lived, he helped form White Horse Harriers. He stayed loyal to Oxford City AC as his first-claim club, but also continued to support the new club first as its Chairman then as its President. He officiated at every one of the White Horse Half Marathons from its instigation in 1982 up until last year, when he had to withdraw through ill health.
He was a senior official, first qualified in 1956 as a Field and Track Judge, eventually rising to Level 4 Field and Level 3 Track. Until very recently, he officiated regularly at schools, club, county and university fixtures. He was also a Level 5 Endurance official, officiating at road and cross country races, usually as Referee. For many years Barrie was also Co-ordinator of the regional division of the Southern Veterans League.
Our condolences and thoughts go to Barrie’s widow, Margaret (also a senior technical official) and his family at this sad time.
The funeral will take place on Friday 19 June, at 12 noon, at St Andrew's Church, East Hagbourne. There will be a celebration of Barrie's life afterwards at the Conservative Club, Foxhall Road, Didcot, to which all are invited.