Dennis Cherkas (45-51)

Died 30th March 2002

The many friends of Dennis Cherkas in the JCC were saddened to learn of his death during an exploratory operation. The Club sends its sympathy to his wife Brenda.

Barry Edwards writes:
I knew Dennis and Brenda through our interest in tennis for some 40 years both on and around the court and on the Sports Committee and D'Abernon Cup. As far as the Old Citizens were concerned, Dennis was "Mr. Tennis". Each year he would ring my home to arrange the D'Abernon cup team and my wife would say "Summer is here - it's Dennis on the 'phone."

He was Captain of Tennis at the School in the early fifties and formed a formidable partnership with Colin Anthony. They enjoyed success not only in the Glanville and Youll Cups but also in open junior tournaments.

On becoming an old boy Dennis soon took over the organisation and running of the Old Boys Tennis Club and made sure that the Old Citizens were represented each year in the D'Abernon Cup as well as arranging friendly matches with other old boys and clubs from time to time.

I played in the Old Boys team from around 1960 through to the late eighties and without Dennis to chivvy us along with his leadership and enthusiasm, I am sure the Club would have folded. He knew all the wrinkles of match arrangement with the other old boys clubs and venue choice, grass or hard court, to make sure we had every pssible advantage. He took us to a couple of D'Abernon Cup finals and many semi finals.

He was a member of the JCC Sports Committee for many years representing the Tennis Club and worked tirelessly with the school to maintain and improve tennis at the school to ensure that the old boys team would be replenished as one by one the older team members retired.

He will be greatly missed not only by the OCTLC but by the very many friends and contacts he made with all the other old boys clubs throughout the land.

Dennis was a man who if you knew him you felt that your life had been enhanced by knowing his.