I am passing on the very sad news that our friend Liz Geear (LizzieG here, I think) has died. Her son Jake says:
‘We will be holding a small celebration of mum’s life in the coming weeks but as yet have no confirmed date. I’ll forward the details as soon as I have them in case anyone would like to attend.’
I for one will miss her a lot (actually, I already do, as she had been unwell for some time). I will pass on details of any celebration when available.
RIP
When I started up the Saturday crossword gatherings in London all those (20+) years ago, Liz was the very first “new” person who came along. From the first time she joined us, at the Duke of Hamilton in Hampstead, Liz rarely missed a week and she immediately became an enthusiastic and convivial member of the Saturday community. I warmed to her immediately for two main reasons: one, that for her the Inquisitor was her “go-to” puzzle of the week (wise words indeed); two, that she was able to occupy Jane with conversations relating to things political, so that I was able to focus on solving the day’s puzzles. Liz was, in turn, our “go-to” guest at the annual lunches of the Inquisitor solving team.
Perhaps when you are solving this week’s puzzles you will raise a glass to her memory?
Sad news. I’ll raise a glass to her.
Sad news indeed – a lovely lady with a great enthusiasm for crosswords and life
RIP Liz and condolences to family and friends
Sorry to hear this. Condolences to the family.
Sorry to read this. I met Liz a few times when I started compiling and she was always complimentary. Another sad loss. My thoughts are with her family.
I met Liz only a couple of times – at Araucaria’s memorial service and the Cambridge S an B – and found an immediate rapport.
Condolences to her family and friends.
As John said, Liz and I did indeed have similar political views, and similarly forthright ways of expressing them.
I remember that Saturday. It was not a large turnout; we started in Highgate — at the Gatehouse, then a Wetherspoon, I think. We then caught a 210 bus over to Hampstead, to the Duke of Hamilton. I knew the landlord at the time (to be pedantic, his wife was the licensee) through a mutual cricket friend, and he knew that I liked crosswords. His first words to me were “Jane, there’s been a woman in here looking for you”, explaining that she had asked for a group of people doing crosswords. It took an hour or two, and a pub or two, but eventually we found each other, back in the Duke of Hamilton. Liz became a great friend almost immediately.
Health problems had kept Liz away from Saturday gatherings for some time, but she did come along to the annual Inquisitor lunches, and it was always a pleasure to see her. Liz, I miss you!