We are very sorry to share the sad news of the death of Mr David Body (OS 1955) who died on 15th March 2024. We send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of David. Here, his brother Andrew (OS 1964) pays tribute:

"My brother David wrote a long series of reflections on his life which he headed ‘Lucky Boy’, which is how he saw himself. But there was much more than luck – there was also determination and dedication in all that he did.

He left SGS before taking A levels, and worked in the architect's office of Gilbert Bullimore, the designer of the Science Block. He was paid £1 a week. He went on to study Architecture at Sheffield University, but with the strange ways of academia, although taking the same exams, because he had no A Levels, he could only have a diploma, and not a degree. His graduation thesis was on “A Physical Education College for Men” – a harbinger of what was to come.

After a short time in local Architects’ offices, he emigrated to Canada in 1965 thinking it would be just for a year. He never returned. After three years he was offered a move to his company’s new office in Los Angeles. Again, it was to be a temporary appointment. He never returned, and eventually became an American citizen. One of his earliest projects was the Pedestrian Bridge in Century City – which has appeared in countless movies.

By the mid 70s he had begun to be involved in sports projects, and had become the partner responsible for design in his firm. He designed one of the venues for the 1984 Olympics, and university sports facilities across the whole of the USA from Alaska southwards. He became an advisor and international lecturer on Sports Architecture. Olympic Beach Volleyball on Horse Guards Parade was David’s idea. His achievements were recognised in 2008 with the award of the prestigious Fellowship of the American Institute of Architects.

His profession and his hobbies combined wonderfully. From schooldays onwards he was a passionate sportsman. He played Lacrosse for the school, and captained the County Juniors. Although he continued to play in Canada and the USA, it was tennis which was his prime sport. He won the British Under 21 Doubles championship in 1960, and in 1965 the Canadian Open Championship Mixed Doubles, partnered by the then top Canadian player Faye Urban. He continued to play until he could only do so by sitting down on the court. He played squash, and represented the USA in an over 35s tournament and continued to play until his early 70s. Thanks to a friendship with the one-time Wimbledon Champion Bob Falkenburg, he became a Pelota player, and represented the USA at tournaments in Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina and France, where the TV commentator referred to him as “L’immense Body”.

Architecture and Sport took so much of his time that it wasn’t until his 40s that he also took on marriage. I was privileged to marry David and Stephanie (a distinguished ceramics artist) outdoors in LA. I think the Johnstons would have been pleased that someone said “it was just like being married by James Mason”. They had a wonderfully full and happy life, travelling for pleasure as well as for work and sport. They were able to meet up with SGS contemporaries and visit the school on their last visit to the UK in 2022.

They didn’t have any children themselves, but were wonderful and very generous uncle and aunt to our four children and three grandchildren, who all adored him. There aren’t many people who would take their kid brother and two nieces on their honeymoon!

His general fitness no doubt helped him see off three different cancers, but other health issues made his last couple of years very difficult, and he died peacefully after weeks in intensive care, supported to the end by his beloved Steph.

Not a bad life for the lucky boy who left the school with just 7 O levels!"