Tim Everton, 1951-2011

Tim Everton, a keen rugby player and an even keener organiser of post-match drinks, spent most of his career in teacher training, but ended up as a pub landlord.

Mr Everton started out as a lecturer in mathematics education at the New University of Ulster, before moving to the University of Leicester's School of Education in 1983. There, he revitalised the mathematics education programme and headed the university's large initial teacher training PGCE.

He played rugby for Aylestone Athletic RFC until the age of 40, and participated in Leicester's fiercely contested interdepartmental cricket cup.

Former colleague Mike Younger, director of the Centre for Commonwealth Education (CCE) at the University of Cambridge, recalled Mr Everton's contribution as "largely motivational: he gained an encyclopaedic knowledge of the local hostelries in the city and surrounding countryside".

Maurice Galton, senior research and teaching Fellow at the CCE, added that Mr Everton was "excellent company with a dry sense of humour, particularly if the anecdote was against himself. As a young lecturer at Leicester he once missed his turn on the M69. Already late, he reversed up the slip road to find a waiting police car. In conversation, he established that the officer had a girlfriend on the Leicester PGCE course. Not believing his good fortune, Tim said: 'I suppose you'll let me off with a caution?' To which the man replied: 'No. She's just left me for one of your students.'?"

In 1992, Mr Everton was appointed deputy principal of Homerton College, Cambridge. He became the first dean of educational studies in 2001, after the convergence of the School of Education with the research and teaching activities of Homerton.

Mr Younger recalled that negotiations with the university presented many challenges for the college, but said that Mr Everton faced these with patience and humour. His mathematical background gave him an unrivalled grasp of the financial and planning aspects associated with convergence between the two institutions and he "proved to be a shrewd, dedicated and inspirational advocate for education".

Mr Younger said Mr Everton's family was a great source of strength for him when coping with difficult times at work.

In October 2006, Mr Everton left the academy behind to pursue a new career in pub management, a dream he had nurtured from his student days. Two years later, he and his wife bought The Phoenix Inn, in York, and turned it from a run-down city-centre pub into an award-winning jazz venue specialising in real ale.

Mr Everton died on 23 March from prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife, Val, and three daughters.

chloe.darracott-cankovic@tsleducation.com.