Robert Irwin Stollery: – [Heath 1977–1984]
Rob Stollery died on in Stockport, aged 56, from complications following surgery for stomach ulcers.
Joining Heath in 1977 Rob ignited his love of sport playing both cricket and basketball but his enduring passion throughout his life was rugby. He started playing for Heath as hooker and as he grew too lanky, moved to flanker. He was a member of the much vaunted First XV of 1984/85, something he was very proud of. Rob played rugby only sporadically after Heath before hanging up his boots to become an avid spectator.
In 1988, Rob obtained a degree in Urban Estate Surveying in Nottingham and after a brief stint working for William H Brown he opened his own company, Baker Stollery Wrightson, managing commercial property throughout the north of England. In 2000 he also set up Keystone Property Development UK to additionally develop commercial property sites in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Rob’s property knowledge came in useful when he joined the Crossley Heath board of governors and applied it to dispose of Conways rugby pitch on behalf of the school. Rob also served on the HOBA committee, attended many annual dinners and enjoyed enormously catching up with old friends.
Throughout his life, Rob had more than his fair share of misfortune, bad luck and tragedy but throughout maintained a dogged determination to just get on with it. Despite that he continued to be charismatic, generous and was simply enormous fun to be with. He was much loved by his many nephews and nieces and of course his brothers Pete, Dave and Phil for whom their annual trip to watch a six nations match in a pub with the opposing team locals will never be the same.
Phil Stollery [Heath 1977–1984]
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