Terry joined the club in 1985 and I first met him three years later in 1988 when we both took part in the Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Walking Pilgrimage the destination of which that year was Canterbury. It was the third time it did so and was therefore labelled "Canterbury 3". Over the years he had spells of rambling frequently and led some walks and also walked out some of his own walks and some which I and other members led,

At the time he joined the club he lived in Reigate and when planning to leave Reigate lived for brief periods in Weybridge and  Tooting (for three years) before settling in Croydon. After some years there he moved to Suffolk where he was close to family with whom we sympathise on his sad passing on Sunday 18 February 2024. R.I.P.

He was also entertaining at the poetry gatherings which were revived by Joe O'Reilly in memory of another former member John Griffey and recited the monologue Abdul Abulbul Amir expertly. 

His funeral service took place at St Joseph's Church in Redhill on Friday 15 March 2024 and was attended by several club members and Arundel and Brighton Walking Pilgrims. R.I.P.

Following is a copy of the eulogy given at Terry's memorial service by his son:

Eulogy – Terence Dobson 1940-2024

Terry was born in Hayes. 19, Acacia Avenue. His parents Bill and Eileen had moved to London during the Great Depression from Bootle, Liverpool where the Dobsons had owned a boatyard. As soon as he could walk, standing at the patio doors, he loved to watch the bombs explode, exclaiming,  ‘BOOM’ as his parents urged him back under the dining room table or into the cupboard under the stairs. They worked hard and he studied hard, attending Botwell House Catholic Primary School and then travelling at first by steam train in to Gunnersbury Catholic School for Boys, whose motto still is ‘ad altoria’. Terry certainly did aim high, achieving a scholarship to King’s College, London to read Mathematics where he came second in his year and achieved a first class honours degree. He continued on to work with the coal board towards his pHD working on Operational Research and programming IBM computers to optimise the industry.

Terry met Maureen Early (a blonde bombshell working in biomedical research) in 1959 whilst on a Catholic holiday in Italy where he was revisiting the Italian girlfriend he had met the year before. Largely the Italians were unimpressed with the switch in his affections, although he told Carole recently that he thinks the parents of said Signorina were somewhat relieved. He recently said of Maureen, ‘She was truly impressive. I mean she had it all.’ They believed in family, married two years later and by the time he was 27, they had had three children: Peter, John and Carole. By the time he was 30 he had bought a rather lovely four bed detached property in Reigate to put them all in. Terry began his career in management consultancy with Phillips Electricals and they set to raising their family with education, reading and sporting achievement (it IS the winning that counts) held in high regard. In addition, they instilled (or tried to instil) the catholic values of spiritual connection and practice, non-materialism and of course left-wing politics. Terry demonstrated his belief in a caring community and inclusion, holding close family friends with disabilities and assisting on the Diocesan Lourdes pilgrimage. The family fasted for CAFOD as well as for God and understood the struggle and suffering of the Nicaraguan priests and people against the Contras.

Terry took the boys to football, cub camp and rugby (girls were not allowed such activities in the 70s) Maureen took Carole to Ballet and gymnastics. He took the children swimming and on bike rides and the family met with the Guildford cousins for religious celebrations and for wonderful afternoons of picnicking and cricket on the North Downs. He is remembered for his 70s moustache and the infamous psychedelic, muti purple jumper knitted by his mother.

Terry and Maureen went on to have eight wonderful Grandchildren, in descending age order; Matthew, William, George, Claire, Molly, Tom, Ellie and Robert. The grandchildren remember trips to Lloyd Park, adventures and entertainment in Town, together with plenty of games and laughs with their Grandad Terry (or Terry as he preferred to be known!).

Sadly, the relationship between Terry and Maureen broke down, they separated in 1993, but they remained married and continued to celebrate Easter, Christmas and many happy family occasions together.

Terry rebuilt his life in Croydon. By then he was lecturing in Maths and Business studies. He walked!  He forged some especially meaningful relationships within the community of both the St Francis of Assisi walking group and the Diocesan Pilgrimage people. He was also the lynchpin of and will be sadly missed by a group of like-minded friends in Croydon who shared a love of meditation, lively discussion, a pint or two and live music at the Socialist Workers Headquarters – somewhat niche! He was fortunate indeed to have a good number of loving and caring friends.

Terry had a love of languages. He enjoyed learning Middle English, especially the Canterbury Tales and had memorised his favourite passages. He retrained to teach English as a second language and loved teaching Japanese students in Covent Garden and learning about their culture.

As Terry became frail, anxious, and housebound with his Parkinson’s Disease he moved to Suffolk to be near Carole just over a year ago and eventually with great reluctance accepted help from the amazing My Care at Home team of carers. After some falls and a hospital admission he moved to Cedrus House in Stowmarket, a truly person-centred Care Home, in November last year, and had the good fortune to be in a beautiful room right next door to the in-house pub. On a Friday afternoon he and Carole would watch the Winter sun go down in the big sky over the Suffolk countryside, while he sipped a whiskey. They also frequented the coffee shop where all the cakes were free! Fortunately, he only spent 10 days bed bound after a hospital admission, due to a fall, hip operation, Covid and pneumonia. During this time, he saw things, including his parents, light and literally the writing on the wall. He had polished off a full bowl of apple crumble and custard just hours before unexpectedly but peacefully breathing his last whilst his carers were with him.

Terry offered such good conversation. The best. He loved ideas. A seeker! He was intellectually and sociologically intrigued by ‘God’. The three books found on his bedside table at death were; A Brief History of Philosophy from Socrates to Derrida, The Trouble with God – building the Republic of Heaven… and 52 ways of looking at a poem – how reading modern poetry can change your life.

Terry will be missed.