A FORMER Summertown city councillor who championed neighbourhood causes has died aged 70.

Stuart McCready was a teacher and lecturer who also managed the production of several non-fiction books for major publishers such as Oxford University Press.

He was elected as Oxford City Council’s ward representative for Summertown in 2008 for the Liberal Democrats and rose to become the party’s shadow representative for housing.

Mr Mcready also took an active role in Cutteslowe, joining the governing board of Cutteslowe Primary School, which his children attended, and also represented the council at meetings of Cutteslowe Community Association, as well as the North Oxford Association.

He was chairman of the North Area Forum and of Summertown Area Neighbourhood Forum, formed to create a neighbourhood plan for the ward.

The father-of-two was also a strong suppporter of the campaign to save Summertown Library, also backing successful efforts to have the Alexandra Park tennis courts refurbished.

His former ward colleague, Councillor Jean Fooks, said: “Stuart knew the area well, having lived there for so long, and quickly gained support as a much-loved and hard-working representative for Summertown in general and Cutteslowe in particular. He was a wonderful colleague and I owe him much as a personal friend and a great supporter.

“The people of Summertown, whom he served so well, owe him huge thanks and a warm tribute.”

Stuart McCready was born in Calgary, Canada, on January 28, 1944, to parents Lillian and Ralph, who both had careers in teaching. He grew up with three siblings, Ken, Mary and Ralph, and attended Queen Elizabeth High School in Calgary.

Afterwards he went to study French and German at the University of Calgary, graduating in 1962 and taking a masters in philosophy.

During his time as a student he made an early foray into politics, standing unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate in one of Calgary’s seats for the New Democratic Party in 1967.

He came to Oxford in 1970 to study for a doctorate in philosophy at Linacre College and there met his future wife Shirley, née Cotton, who was studying for a doctorate in genetics.

The couple wed on June 16, 1973, in Kidlington, and after marrying spent three years in Nigeria, teaching at the University of Nigeria, during the country’s oil boom.

After returning to Oxford the couple had two children, Caroline in 1980 and William in 1984.

Mr McCready took jobs teaching at secondary schools across Oxfordshire, including Bloxham School, near Banbury, and also became a project manager for non-fiction books.

Rather than retire he continued managing the production of books in his later years and was working on a children’s book at the time of his death.

He stepped down as Summertown city councillor in April 2014.

Andrew Gant, a fellow Liberal Democrat, was elected to replace him.

Stuart McCready died suddenly at home on October 30 due to a problem with a blood vessel. His funeral was held yesterday at Oxford Crematorium.

Mr McCready is survived by his wife, his sister Mary, brother Ralph and two children Caroline and William.

This week’s obituaries

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