We have just heard that Roger sadly died, aged just 54, of Sepsis in January 2016 and we await further details. Here is Roger's entry from his contact form. Please be in touch if you would like to post messages regarding Roger and his time at Seaford and post Seaford.

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'Continuing to bask in the sunshine in Jávea, on the Costa Blanca. I work for myself as a freelance Spanish/English translator and also help to run a residential English language course for adults in the U.K. or Ireland (generally Belfast or Cork) during the Summer months'.

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Sad to hear the news of the untimely passing of Roger Marlow. Although Roger was three years older than myself, we both attended Newlands School in Seaford in the mid seventies and then met again when I arrived at Seaford in 1978. Roger was a kind and considerate House Captain of Charmandean and was very supportive when my family endured difficulties, due to my step fathers ill health, in 1979/80. Rogers brother was also at both schools, but I cannot remember his christian name. Please pass along my condolences.

James Mackay
Charmandean
1978-1980
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Here is an email received by SoOS on 1st June 2016 from an old Seaford chum of Roger's, Ralph Bayley

'I read tonight about Roger Marlow passing away in January, he and I were good friends at Seaford and I remember either on his thirteenth or fourteenth birthday his mother passed away from cancer (13 November). Roger and I kept in touch mainly on a yearly basis sending Birthday greetings he being almost a year younger than me. I would like to share his last email to me that I got in November last year (2015) after I had wished him a happy birthday:'

Dear Ralph

Thanks a lot! A real surprise.

I've just celebrated with a half-cup of tepid water (after 30 hours of not being allowed to eat or drink a thing) - I'm in hospital at the moment and have been here for the last 5 weeks - I had one of those 'silly' days when you just feel generally run-down and not in the mood for anything and eventually, as there was nobody around to drive me to the health centre, I called an ambulance.

They brought me to the hospital where I had an exploratory operation which revealed that I had a perforation at the base of the oesophagus, so 'undesirable' fluids were getting to my lungs, heart and liver. I had an emergency op on the oesophagus but basically my whole body was poisoned. I also had a secondary infection. I think the techical term is Sepsis.

To cut a long story short, I was put into an induced coma for 10 days followed by 2 weeks in intensive care and, in the meantime they carried out a tracheotomy so, when I eventually came around and became aware of my surroundings I had a hole in my trachea with a pipe sticking out, I couldn't speak and I was totally confused and shit-scared.

As I said at the beginning, I haven't been allowed to eat or drink for the last 30 hours but I've just spoken to the surgeon and he's allowed me to drink water (birthday treat!) and will try me on some bland solids later today. If I tolerate it I might be allowed home over the weekend, but will probably have to come back in a week or so for another dilation of the oesophagus (they stick a tube down and then inflate it - not nice!!).

Still, I can see light at the end of the tunnel....

Ian, in the meantime is celebrating in France where he has gone for the weekend with some of the lads from the rugby club!

Thanks for remembering Ralph.

All the best,

Roger