News

Dear Club Member,

We write to you with a heavy heart and with great sorrow to share with you our sad loss, unfortunately it is ill timing before Xmas. Stuart, and his wife Maggie, had travelled to Kenya to celebrate Xmas. They were on their way last Sunday to Malindi via a Safari Park on the Tanzanian border when they were involved in a car accident and with the greatest regret did not survive.

You only realise at these tragic times the fragility of life to have someone so precious snatched away so suddenly, which just leaves us stunned, shocked in disbelief. The Club has not been without its tragedies over the years and whenever these cruel and sudden acts of fate occur everyone is shaken to the core. Many of you will not know our father, our brother Stuart; those who did will agree he was Athletic through and through, a committed supporter and an honourable human being. The Club is made of families and friends and forms a unique community of love and friendship upon which you can rely. It is testament to the Club, how members rally around the bereaved at these sad times, to give support and messages of comfort.

Stuart graduated from PE College, Cardiff in 1975 with a B.Ed. Here he met Jean, wedded and had three boys, Mark who sadly passed shortly after his birth, Nick and Tom, and subsequently five grandchildren - Phoebe, Steffan (a talented award winning junior Athletic player), and Elodie with Nick and Ceri; Arthur and Charlie with Tom and Marie who have settled in Hitchin.

His first teaching appointment was in Hampshire and here they ran the Post Office in Froxfield alongside full-time teaching. Stuart and Jean were later to return to Carmarthen to open a sports shop, Stumak Sports in Guildhall Square.

Stuart was a descendant of the White Horse and often referred to in C.A.R.F.C. bar conversation as one of the White Horse boys. He attended the Pentrepoeth School and later the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Carmarthen. Stuart was a prodigious talent and excelled in athletics and rugby. He was a member of Carmarthen Harriers. However, his zenith was at the Welsh Schools National Championships as a junior athlete. Here he became National Champion achieving first place in the 200m (220 yds) and third in the 100m (100 yds) sprint. Later that season he was to break the National Junior 100m (100 yds) record.  On the rugby field he had been tipped for a Welsh U15’s cap but due to ‘the Gram’s’ withdrawal from the Carmarthen and District Schools he was denied this opportunity. This travesty was subsequently reported in the National Press.

We are so proud of Stuart and his immense achievements. Stuart was such a loveable character, he was always full of life and ambition, and would light up a room in his unique way. Stuart didn’t possess an uncaring bone in his body, he was only ever filled with love of his fellow man. He was a teacher, and subsequently headmaster at the Model School, Carmarthen for several years. He joined the ESTYN and OfSTED inspectorates after graduating with an M.A. at Swansea University. Recently he had been looking forward to returning to Dubai to re-join the Schools Inspection Team, which he led on several occasions, and to undertake senior teacher training sessions, which he had delivered all across the world. 

His wife, Maggie of five years, was forging a new career with a charity funded by the Welsh Government helping disadvantaged and under privileged ethnic communities. Her remit was broad and extensive, focussing on delivering equality and diversity, and as a Kenyan, she had much to offer this under-developed sector. Since arriving in early January 2021, she immediately and unselfishly threw in her lot and joined Glangwili Hospital as an auxiliary nurse in the middle of the pandemic before taking on her current role. She was making great strides to be part of the Carmarthen community and becoming a very popular member.

Carmarthen town and the wider world is in shock with the tragic event and the messages of support received by the family have been overwhelming. Tributes have arrived from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Kenya, to name a few.

Love and good wishes are extended to family and friends for the festive season and thank you for taking the time to read this brief account and allowing us to share the life and times of our beloved Stuart.

Nick and Ceri, Tom and Marie, Anne, Stephen, Nigel and our extended family.