George Pyrich RIP

[andyburnett]

The sad news has just reached me that George Pyrich, formerly of Nairns and Kirkcaldy Chess Clubs, has passed away in Spain at the weekend after a short illness.

George was a hugely respected member of the Scottish chess community, active in league and tournament chess over many decades, and one of the driving forces behind the Glenrothes Chess Congress.

He participated in the Scottish Championships on many occasions and there will be very few players in the country who did not recognise George as one of the friendliest, most knowledgeable and helpful of men, as well as a very strong chess player.

George retired and moved to Spain with his wife Catherine a few years ago after some health problems, where he continued his passion for chess, playing in the local Spanish league and tournaments. He is the current Andalusia 65+ champion and will be sadly missed in both Scotland and Spain.

A full obituary will be published in the February issue of Scottish Chess and I will update this thread as and when I receive further details.

Andy Burnett

[Craig Pritchett]

Very sad to hear this. George was one of those organisers and players who quietly and efficiently gave an awful lot to the game and its players over very many years and will be greatly missed.

George also crossed my path outside of chess. When in 1980 I joined the old Exchequer and Audit Department in London (now the National Audit Office) to my considerable surprise I shortly found myself seated at the desk he'd used while briefly in the same Department. I had no idea that he had worked there, an unusual form of chess and auditing double check.

George had left a year or so earlier and later told me that he had decided that London wasn't for him and that he'd returned to work in local government finance in Scotland, which he'd missed. A very sad loss, indeed.

[Alan Borwell]

It was with great sadness that I received news from Catherine about George's death at the weekend. We have lost a very dear friend. I have many great memories of our times together attending ICCF congresses around Europe and further afield over some 30 years as delegates for Scotland and our friendship goes further back to the early 1970s. George was the ICCF Qualifications Commissioner when I was President and subsequently he became Finance Director, a position which he held for more that 10 years prior to his untimely death. Above all, George was a gentleman with great ability but with a nice unflappable style who was admired by all who had the privilege of his company and he will be sorely missed by SCCA and ICCF. Our sympathies go to Catherine and all family and friends, with treasured memories of George, our dear friend.

[Alan Bell]

I am utterly shocked and saddened. I exchanged emails with George just last week. A fine player who contributed a great deal to chess in Scotland. I will miss him.

[Ianbrownlee]

really sad to hear this although I didn't personally know him but I knew he was always well respected and Liked by his peers

[George Neave]

Very sad news. As others have said, his contribution to the game in Scotland was immense. For example, when he moved to Spain we lost with the Glenrothes congress which was an annual fixture in many of our diaries. Also it seemed from Facebook that he was living out his retirement in Spain to the full so this comes as a shock. 

fyi - Catherine Pyrich has posted "I have arranged a service for George to enable our family and friends to say a final farewell. The service will take place on Thursday 4 January at 2:00 pm in the Raith Suite at Starks Park Kirkcaldy."