It is with a great sense of sadness that we report the passing of Keith Murcutt, the long time secretary of Duffield Tennis Club. Keith died peacefully last Sunday at Macmillan Cancer Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital after a brave battle with cancer.
Keith was a very familiar and hugely popular member of the Derbyshire tennis community. He played a key role in establishing Duffield as one of the leading clubs in the county. He took great pride in creating a welcoming and friendly environment at Duffield and spent endless hours ensuring the club and it's grounds were presented to the highest possible standard.
Keith was a passionate supporter of Derbyshire Tennis. He was instrumental in bringing the county championships to Duffield in 2010. In recognition of his outstanding work as Tennis Secretary and House Manager at Duffield, he was named as Volunteer of the Year in February 2011 at the Derbyshire Annual Awards evening. The club were also named as Club of the Year which was due in no small measure to Keith's efforts.
Keith was well known at Duffield TC and other local venues as the compere for his highly popular quiz nights. He had a wonderfully inclusive spirit and was able to put people immediately at ease with his friendly and personable manner.
Keith was an incredibly warm, enthusiastic and genuine man, who will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts are with his wife Carolyn and family at this sad time.
A service to celebrate Keith's life will be held at St Peter's Church in Belper on Tuesday 13th May and afterwards at Makeney Hall. Please do not wear black.