OURFC are very sad to announce the death of Joe McPartlin in the early hours of this morning, when he died peacefully in a nursing home following a long battle with illness. Joe came up to Oxford in 1959 from Wimbledon College to read geography at St Edmund Hall. In his first year he played for the Greyhounds but then went on to win three Blues, the final one in 1962 when he was Captain. Joe also appeared six times for Scotland in the Five Nations Championship whilst he was still at Oxford. Joe was also President of the Vincent’s Club in 1962/63, his final year at Oxford. On graduating he took up a teaching post at St Edward’s School in Oxford where he remained until he retired. Joe also represented the Harlequins, Oxford, Oxfordshire, Surrey, the Army and the Barbarians in an illustrious playing career before he went on to take up refereeing. Joe also served on the OURFC Committee for close to 40 years; from June 1975 to the present day, fulfilling many roles including Hon. Fixture Secretary for a number of years. Joe was also a marvellous After Dinner Speaker and raconteur who will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.

Joe’s Requiem Mass will be at 2pm on Thursday 7th November, in The Oratory, 25 Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6HA. There is parking available at St Edward’s School, Woodstock Rad, OX2 7NN. Afterwards there will be a short committal service at the Crematorium, family only, followed by a reception at the Oxford University Rugby Club Pavilion at the Iffley Road ground. We hope that as many of you as possible will join us at Iffley Road and help to make this a memorable party as Joe would have wished. We would prefer not to receive any flowers but donations to Prostate Cancer UK, www.prostaecanceruk.org, would be welcome.