Tributes paid to 'wonderful' friend to Bournemouth (From Bournemouth Echo)

Tributes paid to 'wonderful' friend to Bournemouth

11:00am Tuesday 27th July 2010 in

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FRIENDS have been remembering a popular school governor, amateur actor and stalwart of the campaign to save the Winter Gardens.

Around 300 people attended the funeral of David Marris, who was involved in a host of causes in Bournemouth. He died of cancer aged 72.

He moved to the town from Norwich in 1973 to become local manager of Eagle Star Insurance, eventually becoming local president of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

He was a governor at Portchester School and chair of governors for 10 years, as well as serving on several other voluntary bodies.

He was a member of All Saints Dramatic Society, playing many parts, including a panto dame, and a supporter of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

It was his love of music and theatre that stirred Mr Marris to campaign in support of the Winter Gardens concert hall.

The campaign was lost and Bournemouth council shut the venue. But by organising a well-attended concert by the South Wales Male Choir on the last night before the concert hall was closed, he helped demonstrate it might have had a future.

Close friend and former council leader Douglas Eyre said the event was a case of winning a battle but losing the war. He remembered Mr Marris as a “wonderful man”.

“Dave really cared about people. He could talk to anybody – and he did,” he said.

“Always a twinkle in the eye, a word of encouragement and a great infectious sense of humour. He was well-loved and respected by all who knew him”.

Mr Marris was a committee member of Bourne-mouth Music Competit-ions Festival and a trustee of All Saints Dramatic Society.

He was also a keen traveller, tennis player, a railway enthusiast – writing contributions for railway journals – and a devout Norwich City supporter.

He lost his wife Jill to cancer in 1991. He is survived by his partner Sue, children Christopher and Deidre and seven grandchildren.