Eileen Kear (nee Tucker) was awarded the MBE for her exceptional contribution to athletics.

She was founder of Radley Ladies Athletic Club, qualified club coach, official, team manager for Oxford City, Oxford County, Radley Athletic Club and the Thames Valley Youth Games in 2005, president of Oxfordshire AA and lifetime President to Radley AC.

She passed away peacefully aged 89 on October 8 after a short illness.

She leaves three daughters Sandra, Valerie and Angela, three grandchildren, Philip, James and Naomi and a great grandson Riley, and will be greatly missed.

Eileen was born in Blackwood Monmouthshire in 1934 to John and Cherrie and moved to Cowley in Oxford at the age of one. She grew up in Cowley with her younger brother Bill.

Eileen’s athletic career began at the age of 13, when Monty Hillier, a work colleague of her father’s, asked him to take her to Iffley Road, where he was a coach at Oxford City AC.

This was the start of her passion for running and the sport of athletics where she made an outstanding contribution in terms of her own career as an athlete and the significant impact she had on the lives of others as a coach.

At the age of 17 she went into the RAF at Bletchley where she continued her athletics by competing for the RAF team. She wanted to be a PT instructor but she was declined as she had a bunion on her foot.

Eileen became a telephonist which she continued after leaving the RAF four years later.

She met her husband Charles whilst in the RAF and they were married in 1956 in Cowley and eventually set up home in Oxford where they stayed until 1988 when they then moved to Abingdon.

Eileen dedicated her life to two things: her family and the sport of athletics.

Oxford Mail: Eileen’s athletics career incredibly spanned 76 years. She was very successful as an athlete where she competed regularly in the 100m, 200m and long jump.

Here are some notable achievements:

In 1949 she was part of the Oxfordshire team that competed in the Oxford-Leiden exchange match.

In 1999 Eileen competed in the World Masters Games in the Veteran 65 age group, coming 7th in the 100m and 8th in the 200m and was ranked No 1 in both events in Great Britain, which is a remarkable achievement.

Then in 2005 at the age of 71 year she competed in the British Masters Championships at Cardiff and won the Bronze Medal for 60m and the silver medal in the long jump.

In 2006 at the same event Eileen won a gold medal in the 60m, which was an amazing accomplishment.

Eileen’s passion and determination has altered the life of thousands of girls and women in Oxfordshire.

Her life’s work was celebrated at her funeral service on November 6 at The Baptist Church Abingdon.

In a very fitting tribute and in honour of all the years she dedicated to athletics, her funeral procession departed from Tilsley Park where she completed her final ‘lap of honour’ of the 400m track.

Oxford Mail: At the service the congregation heard heartfelt tributes which were led by her daughters and the 1977 Southern Counties-winning relay team who were coached by Eileen. The relay team expressed their gratitude to a woman who changed their lives forever and reflected on very special memories of an incredible individual who devoted her life to athletics.

They said “Eileen gave them an inner strength and made them believe in themselves - she always had complete faith in them”

Eileen’s unwavering support, commitment, enthusiasm, warmth, kindness and endless energy will be sorely missed as will her love and passion for the sport of athletics.

In 2006, when she had the great privilege of receiving an MBE, which in her words she was honoured to receive on behalf of her husband and the club. Her true legacy was her creation of Radley Athletic Club in 1972 where she was an inspiration to so many people for over 51 years.

The relay team would like to set up a book of remembrance for Eileen and a fundraising event in her memory.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

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