But many in Rocor were wary, fearing an unstable network of parishes in Russia would discredit the church.Suffering memory loss, Vitaly retired in 2001, 50 years after his consecration. But within weeks he regretted the move, publicly attacking his successor, Metropolitan Laurus Vitaly led his faithful followers into schism. “There came a time when I recognised that I was left all alone,” he explained:I had the choice of writing the final chapter of the Church Abroad or of embarking upon the road once more, and of again carrying away the true Orthodox Church to freedom with me. Our church became small, but preserved her crystal-like purity.Vitaly’s final years were marred by murky goings-on at his monastery, with allegations that his entourage was holding him hostage and faking his signature on church decisions. Like many splinter religious communities, his church came to fight not so much to preserve the purity of its faith as to engage in bitter infighting.Felix Corley. Byron Nelson, golfer: born Waxahachie, Texas 4 February 1912; twice married; died Roanoke, Texas 26 September 2006. For 60 years after he retired from playing regular tournament golf Byron Nelson remained one of the most respected figures in the sport.
He was known as “Lord Byron” – less for his dominating play on the course as for his gentle demeanour, his good manners, his humility and dignity. He would rate a place in any discussion on the greatest players the game has seen but, as the first gentleman of golf, he had fewer rivals.. Norman James Blacklock, naval officer and surgeon: born Glasgow 5 February 1928; Consultant in Surgery and Urology, and Director of Surgical Research, Royal Navy 1970-78; OBE 1974; Medical Adviser to the Queen (on overseas visits) 1976-93, Extra Gentleman Usher 1993-2006; Professor of Urological Surgery, Victoria University of Manchester 1978-91 (Emeritus); CVO 1989, KCVO 1993; married 1956 Marjorie Reid (one son, one daughter); died Portsmouth 7 September 2006. Norman Blacklock combined several careers that are usually mutually exclusive. He was a general and trauma surgeon, a consultant urologist and Professor and Head of Department of Urological Surgery at the Victoria University of Manchester – where he set up a lithotripsy service, the first non- invasive treatment for kidney stones. He was a naval surgeon with experience of trauma treatment who accompanied the Queen on Britannia, later taking leave from his university post from time to time to be with her on her overseas tours. He was a contributor to several textbooks on medicine and surgery and his research advanced our knowledge of prostate enlargement and cancer, and of kidney stone formation.
He was, said his former colleague Sir Miles Irving,a quiet man for a surgeon; very kind, a gentle man in the true sense of the word.
He was a kind man, and a urologist who made major advances in the understanding of prostatic disease.Blacklock was a reassuring personage in the royal entourage, carrying a black bag packed with medicines, a portable defibrillator and other resuscitation equipment. He took diplomatic account of the Queen’s enthusiasm for homeopathy. Britannia always had a naval anaesthetist on board, and the Queen brought her own surgeon (she is known to prefer the company of servicemen). The royal yacht had a fully equipped operating theatre, and the Queen’s Flight is fitted with emergency medical equipment.
