Light on a life

St Bride's Church, just off Fleet Street, is the place where journalists gather for memorial services and today it was FT staff, past and present, who met to remember Stephanie Gray, a great colleague with a big heart. Sadly she never had the opportunity to enjoy a well-earned retirement on Shetland where she and her family had bought a home. Stephanie epitomised all that was best about the FT when I worked there. There's much I could say about her but one quality I'll remember beyond all others was her kindness. She left us too soon.

Sad to report too the death yesterday of my old friend, Nigel Marwood, known to all his friends since schooldays as Mazza. Mazza was one of the regulars when, back in the 1970s, a gang of us would spend days on end at this time of year following the RAC Rally. We'd be huddled by a track in the middle of Kielder Forest or Grizedale in Cumbria waiting for a set of headlights and the throaty roar of a souped-up Ford Escort. Then we'd snatch a bit of sleep before tearing off to another stage. He liked fishing too. A typical Yorkshireman, with a dry sense of humour. Remembering the good times, cheers Maz, you'll be missed.