Downing 2010 cover opt b_Layout 1 - Downing College - University ...

DOWNING COLLEGE ASSOCIATIONJohn Wild was born in Sydenham, Kent, the son of an accountant, andattended the Merchant Taylors’ School. As a 14 year old, frustrated by the unevendistribution of hot and cold water in his bath at home, he was awarded his firstpatent for an automatic valve to overcome that problem which, he later claimed,was the forerunner of early tea and coffee-dispensing machines. At Downing hegained a double first in botany and medicine, receiving his MB BChir. inmedicine in 1942 and PhD in 1971. Whilst working in London hospitals heovercame war-time fuel rationing by converting his 1921 Harley Davidsonmotorcycle and sidecar to run on gas produced over charcoal. After moving tothe USA he established the Medico-Technological Research Department at StBarnabas Hospital, Minneapolis, and from 1960 to 1963 was director of theresearch department at the Minnesota Foundation, St Paul. That employmentled to a court case and 1972 defamation award to him of $16.3 million, laterreduced on appeal, and finally a 1981 out of court settlement with agreementthat details of the case would not be released. It was cited by the “Guinness Bookof World Records” as the world’s largest defamation case until the early 1990s.From 1966 Wild worked as a doctor in private practice, and he served as Directorof the Medico-Technological Research Institute in Minneapolis until it closed in1999. He received many honours and awards, including in 1991 the Japan Prizefrom the Japanese Foundation of Science and Technology, and in 1998 the FrankAnnunzio Award from the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation. In1994 the Royal Mail issued a set of stamps to commemorate his work inultrasound, and on his 95th birthday he received a letter of thanks for his life’swork from President Obama. On retirement he continued to keep up to scratchhis 1921 Harley Davidson and a 1928 Alvis car long out of production. He diedin a Minnesota hospice after a stroke, and was survived by his third wife, Valerie,their daughter, and two sons from his second marriage.John Kenneth Wills (1953) died in his sleep at home on the Isle of Man, ofheart disease, on 13th July 2009. His widow, Mrs Teresa Wills, tells us that theywere married for nearly 42 years and have a son and a daughter.Maciej Winiarski (1945) died on 19th November 2004.Tim Yearwood (1938) died on 16th Jan 2010.The following is taken from an obituary published in the Bexhill Observer of February12th 2010 which was sent to us by his widow.A respected solicitor who was a promi nent figure in many of Bexhill’s bestknown institutions has died aged 90. Timothy Yearwood’s funeral took placein St Augustine’s Church on Monday, February 1st. Described by his wife Susan40