Stuart Waller (1956)

(Reginald) Stuart Waller was born in 1937 in Tynemouth in Northumberland. After school at Uppingham he went up to Queens' in 1956 to read Engineering in the Mechanical Science Tripos. While there he soon discovered a passion for gliding and became a leading member of the Cambridge University Gliding Club. As the Club was based some distance from the city it was one of the few ways an undergraduate could obtain permission to keep a car at that time! At Queens' he also enjoyed croquet, hockey, tennis and played occasional table tennis with a fellow undergraduate and neighbour who happened to play for England. After Cambridge he continued to glide into the 1970s both competitively and for fun from the Bristol and Gloucestershire Gliding Club at Nympsfield, at one point becoming the first person to cross the Menai straits by glider in a flight from Dunstable. 

His first job as a civil engineer was with George Wimpey where he helped in the construction of the Derwent Reservoir in Durham. He then moved south and started work with the Chief Engineer at Gloucester City Council where he was also involved in research on flooding in the Severn estuary in collaboration with the Engineering Department at the University of Bristol. In the 1970s he went on to become Head of Technical Services at the Cotswold District Council in Cirencester, a post he stayed in for the majority of his working life until he was offered early retirement in his early 50s following a local government reorganisation. He took much pride in improving the lives of people across the area and cared greatly about the services the council provided. 

Aside from work he was always active with his family, sports and other pursuits. He was a well-known member of Cirencester's hockey and tennis clubs for many years. He enjoyed mountain walking in the Lake District and the Alps as well as family ski holidays. After retirement he continued to keep busy. He was a hockey umpire and enjoyed spending time in his garden, walking his golden retrievers and playing golf. He also liked antiques and spent time at local auction houses and was a volunteer at Kelmscott Manor, the former home of William Morris. From Cirencester he eventually moved across the Severn to Tibberton, the village he had first lived in when he came to work at Gloucester City Council those year before. He was treasurer at Holy Trinity Church there for many years. 

Stuart is lovingly remembered as a true gentleman who was a supportive, never critical, patient and loving father, grandfather, husband and friend. He is survived by his first wife, Valerie, his second wife, Kathy and his four children, Simon, Clare, Guy and Lindsay. The tradition of civil engineering in the family continues with Simon, who also had his first job with George Wimpey. One of Stuart’s grandchildren, Grace, also works in flooding while the Cambridge link is maintained with another grandchild, Bea, currently doing her PhD in Biochemistry at Christ’s College.

Obituary by Guy Waller, son of Stuart Waller