Tributes paid to former college lecturer and lawyer who loved Eastbourne

John Boyle passed away at the age of 85 following a brief illness.

Mr Boyle was educated at Lancing College and came to Eastbourne when he joined the then town council as an articled solicitor. He met his future wife, Marion, when she attended an interview at the Town Hall and he was on the recruitment panel.

After a number of years working as a local authority lawyer including under Eastbourne council clerk Frank Busby, he was recruited by law firm Mayo and Perkins – now Mayo Wynne Baxter – and practiced successfully for more than 20 years eventually becoming managing partner.

Friends say his concern for fellow citizens was often shown in lowered, or even waived fees for clients with financial difficulties. His passion to help the town’s young people saw him become a law and business lecturer at ECAT in the late 1980s later rising to assistant principle and helping drive the modernisation of the Kings Drive site.

Mr Boyle was also a long-standing Rotarian where members say he brought his fun-loving spirit to numerous fundraising activities. For more than 30 years he and his wife Marion ran a student exchange programme with the Rotary Club in Lufkin, Texas where he was made an honorary Texan.

He instigated Rotary’s Alone at Christmas initiative in the 70s and his other community and charitable involvement included the Link Centre, Eastbourne Allotment Society and the Citizens Advice Bureau which he chaired for several years. Ever keen to take on a new project, he set up the Civilian War Memorial Trust to honour the townspeople who died during enemy bombing. With the help of a committee he raised £70,000 for the memorial at the Wish Tower and transformation of the surrounding garden.

He leaves his wife Marion, son Simon, daughter Rosalyn and six grandchildren.