We are sad to announce that our former colleague John Oxley died on 23 January following a period of illness. John was a support tutor on the Engineering Foundation Year who finally retired two years ago at the age of 75. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and by the many students he supported.
John was born in Yorkshire and began his engineering career apprenticed to British Rail in Doncaster as an electrician, working in his very early years on steam locomotives. A change of career to teaching brought him eventually to Southampton City College where, in 1992, the University started to offer its new Engineering Foundation Year. John’s experience teaching mature students gave him a good understanding of the needs of the diverse range of students enrolled on the course and made him a popular teacher whose clarity and patience, combined with high expectations, gave his students the confidence to achieve their ambitions.
In 2006 the University moved the foundation year to Highfield and John moved on, first to Farnborough College and then to Fareham College, but on his retirement from full time work in 2010 John again joined the foundation year team, this time as a part-time support tutor assisting students who needed a boost in confidence or additional academic support to achieve their full potential. John’s patience, skill and experience underpinned the success of very many students over the next 12 years until his eventual complete retirement.
John was a valued colleague and friend, whose kind and sociable nature was instrumental in making the part-time support tutors and others into a coherent team who regularly shared their experiences together over coffee. Outside of work, John enjoyed walking and restoring then driving his treasured Ford Mustang – a souvenir from a much-enjoyed teaching exchange spent at a college in California, as well as spending time in the USA and in Australia visiting his children and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.