DrDave Gavine (9 May 1937 - 2 Jan 2020)

In memory of our friend, Dave Gavine. One of life's gentlemen, scientists and cartoonists, and forever sadly missed.

Our Scottish friend will be greatly missed.Any time spent with Dave was well spent.Extremely knowledgable and communicative with a great sense of humour.
Well fit into his eighties sometimes we were just about hanging on to his bold stride up and down dale (when he visited our Yorkshire hills)

and in and around Edinburgh when we visited the city.A master of effective travel via bus and train we met him in London , Cambridge , York

and Dundee over the years.

It has meant a lot to us to have known Dave as a family friend and neighbour over the years.

It has meant a lot to us to have known Dave as a family friend and neighbour over the years.

A Poem ‘SLIPPING INTO A CELESTRIAL REALM’

Hello my friends, not that long ago I knew I was destined to go on an epoch celestrial journey
Move onwards to become part of the astronomical starry realms out there in the heavens
Perhaps having new eye gazing wonders to study
The brevity of death is always a certainty
I accepted my inevitable fate and for all those who knew me well remember me in the light of love
Thank you all for your love, kindness and friendships
Written By Alistair Hughson

I will remember all the happy times spent with Dr Dave, full of stories Astronomical and many more earthly ones from his teaching days. You could be entertained with the lowdown on the noteworthies of observatory history, or have your random rock accurately identified, for he had great Geology knowledge also. With his amazing lapidary skills. I marvelled at all the polished spheres of mineral specimens, and the cabouchons he was happy to gift as pendants to his friends. My favourite memory of Dave were the Planetrium shows from his days at Leith Nautical College. Entirely of his own creation, we were treated to a thunderstorm, a sunset, a clearing sky as twilight faded to starry night, then he wove his magic amongst the constellations and planets for a full hour. A very realistic aurora display came from a clear plastic exercise ball for guinea pigs, cleverly blacked out with a few coloured gels and torch bulbs inside, that was his genius for adding effects to the show.

I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Dave, who I knew initially through the Edinburgh Lapidary Club, and who became a very good friend for many years. He was a very learned man, a gentleman and had a marvellous sense of humour. I will miss him greatly and the world is poorer for his passing