It is with great sadness that we heard of the death of Max Horsey just before Easter. Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his health declined rapidly and he died peacefully, surrounded by family, in the John Radcliffe Hospital on 17 April.
Max was a remarkable servant of Radley for thirty six years: as an electronics don and then, after retirement, as the creative power behind the Radley video unit. I use the word ‘retirement’ very loosely: for some, that would have been a nice sideline for a few hours a week. For Max, it was his life and it is a tribute to his work that it has become an irreplaceable element of the College: not for us the employment of professional film companies… just Max and his teams producing outstanding films of all aspects of Radley.
We will not remember what he did, however, as much as how he did it. A self-effacing humility, a remarkable and uncomplaining service, a real pride in the boys he mentored going on to achieve so much, and a fundamental kindness to all he encountered: these are the real hallmarks of his legacy. The many who have gone on to work in the creative industries, the many who have found confidence and purpose under his guidance, the many who found him a source of gentle and sage advice; these will be the ones who owe him the most. But his deep love for Radley – and his dedication to it – have touched us all.
To remember and pay tribute to Max, we will be holding a reception here at the College in late May and will be in touch with details once they are finalised.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. He will be sorely missed.
John Moule, Warden
Read more about Max and Radley Video:
