It is with great sadness that I must tell you that John Higdon has died after a long illness fighting the complications of Parkinson's disease. I received the news recently from his very longstanding friend, Scott Hart. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his widow, Sue and their daughter, Alice.

His funeral will be on Tuesday, 21st May at Randalls Park Crematorium, Leatherhead, KT 22 OAG at 1230.His wake will be at Debbie's Wine Estate, Dorking Road, RH5 6AA. Should you be planning to attend could you please let Scott (scott_hart@btinternet.com) know as soon as you can so that he and Sue have an idea of numbers.

I joined the rugby club myself in 1978 by which time John had been playing with us for a few years. He was an enthusiastic and committed club member who would never, ever, let you down. He played mainly at wing forward but like many back row forwards could be press ganged into service elsewhere. Most of his rugby was played in the lower teams (those were the days when we regularly fielded five teams still!) and the seconds would I think have represented the pinnacle of his achievements: he could put in a hard hit certainly, particularly if his blood was up and he was of course utterly reliable. If there was a "club side" fixture between Christmas and the first regular Saturday in January he would likely be playing, also always in the annual Veterans match of course!

Although the most genial of companions he had a hard competitive side to him and in the lower teams his was a very reassuring name to see on the team sheet. In those days some pretty grotesque mismatches could occasionally arise, sometimes on tour, but you could rely on John to give it his best shot, shrug it off, and enjoy what the "troisieme mi-temps" might bring. I have particularly fond memories of tours with him to Northern France and Denmark.

Tony Pointing was his lodger in Granville Road, Southfields and many Saturdays finished in the Taj Mahal on the Upper Richmond Road (It’s still going!) followed by Sundays (very limited opening times then of course!) at the Park Tavern in Southfields.

But then golf really took a hold, played mainly although a little erratically at the municipal courses in Richmond Park. Wonderfully there were six or seven of us of a fairly similar standard - at that time charitably speaking perhaps 18-27 (handicap?! Scott Hart might want to comment!): under a 100 and the longest drive were the main aims, under 90 achieved very rarely indeed! John continued with his golf long after I had called it a day myself, citing "family commitments" as my excuse but in truth between rugby all season and then golf in the summer and three young children something had had to give!

Like me (I was only an " articled clerk" though when I first got to know him) John was a solicitor, practising in Raynes Park at that time and a pretty successful one too. His thoughtful, measured but - if the rest of his social interactions were anything to go by - sometimes slightly mischievous approach - will have stood him in good stead.

He married Sue somewhat late, well into his 30s (My wife and I were at their wedding: a jolly good party as I recall!), but when their daughter Alice was born their joy was complete. James and Tracy were his stepson and stepdaughter. They will have had a difficult time of it lately but I am sure only the happiest of memories looking further back!

Nick Alway