A family man, sports editor and dear friend and colleague is lovingly remembered today.

Tributes have been paid to Nigel Robert Dean of Weymouth, who passed away on August 28, 2020, aged 57.

Five months on from his death, Nigel, who worked at the Dorset Echo for 40 years, is greatly missed by all of those who had the pleasure to know a ‘kind, decent and friendly’ husband and father-of-two.

Dorset Echo:

Nigel attended Broadwey Secondary School and joined the Echo in October 1979 as an apprentice compositor, working for the paper for 40 years. He followed his father Robert Dean into the printing industry, with Robert having worked for the Echo all his working life when the paper was based in St Thomas Street.

Nigel studied at Southampton College of Art and Design as part of his apprenticeship at the Echo and also worked at the St Thomas Street offices.

The newspaper moved to its present offices on the Granby Industrial Estate in 2000, Nigel then moved to the editorial department, working as a sub editor in the sports department, before becoming sports editor of the Dorset Echo in 2008.

Nigel was highly thought of throughout the local sports world, reporting on local football, cricket, tennis, athletics, volleyball, golf and as well as many other sports with a local interest.

Dorset Echo:

Ian White, chairman of Weymouth Football Club, said: “Nigel was a very special guy who was massively respected at the football club as not just part of the Dorset Echo set up but a dedicated Terras fan.

“Nothing was ever too much trouble for Nigel and over the years I personally became very good friends with him.

“He will be sadly missed at the Bob Lucas Stadium and will always have a place in the fabric of the club and my memories.”

Nigel also played football and volleyball, and was a keen dedicated and talented sportsman, also enjoying cycling with his wife Julie and children Jonathan and Emma.

Nigel married Julie Holcombe at St Ann’s church in Radipole on 27th September, 1986 and they had their wedding reception at Hotel Rembrandt. On the occasion of their Silver Wedding Anniversary, they held a party at the Rembrandt in the Chesham Suite, where they had celebrated their marriage 25 years previously.

Nigel had a passion for winning and was always highly competitive in everything he did.

He entered a team from the Echo every year for the charity beach volleyball held prior to the Weymouth Beach Volleyball Classic in July, the team was always called Echo Beach.

Dorset Echo:

During June and July Nigel would start recruiting work colleagues, family members and friends to participate in his team at the forthcoming tournament, Nigel took the event seriously wanting to do well, they reached the semi finals in 2014.

His passion for sport was also following Manchester United.

Nigel saw many young reporters join the Echo and was known for his patience and understanding as they embarked on their careers in the media. Nigel loved his job and worked tirelessly - he often said his job was like a hobby, as he enjoyed it so much, and he was being paid for it.

Editor Diarmuid Macdonagh said: “Nigel ‘was one of the most caring, humane people I have had the pleasure to know and work alongside.’

He added: “Finding the right words to do justice to Nigel is near impossible - but we know one thing for certain: nobody has ever found a reason to use a bad one about him.

“Newsrooms can be dysfunctional, stressful places to spend our working days but I never saw Nigel lose his temper, criticise a colleague or waver from the calm, reassuring presence that helped maintain some order and decency amid the chaos.

“We were lucky to have known him and we should all hope that some of that innate goodness has rubbed off on each and every one of us. He made the Echo a better place to be and we should all ensure we strive to be better people for having known him.”

Dorset Echo:

Echo news editor Martin Lea remembers Nigel as ‘a gentleman and a gentle man.’

He said: “Nigel was under immense pressure at work but he never really showed it. He appeared to take everything in his stride and emitted a feeling of calmness. However stressed I felt, Nige always seemed to help calm me down. I don’t feel like he would’ve had one enemy in the world. Everyone loved him.”

Dorset Echo:

Nigel’s friend and colleague Jo Davis said Nigel was a character people would gravitate to in the office - he would always help people with page production difficulties, no matter how much pressure he was under himself.

“Unflappable, always smiling, warm and friendly and someone who took great pride in his immaculate appearance - that was our dear friend Nigel.

“When I arrived in Dorset knowing nobody in 2007, Nigel turned an intimidating newsroom into a friendly environment and invited me to join the weekly office ‘cake club’ and motivated myself and many of our team to take daily lunchtime walks together - a real mood booster.

“Nigel was a caring, sensitive individual who would always take the time to ask how you were and would provide a listening ear. In turn, he would talk with pride and passion about his family and his children’s achievements and enjoyed nothing more than spending time with them.”

Dorset Echo:

Outside of work Nigel enjoyed socialising and holidaying. He loved cruising and city breaks with Julie and their friends. Nigel was also a keen gardener and enjoyed family time.

He became unwell during 2019 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He received chemotherapy during early 2020, but sadly the cancer returned in the summer of 2020, and he passed away at Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester.

He leaves daughter Emma, who works at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, and Jonathan, a serving member of the RAF.

Nigel is the eldest son of Marie and the late Robert Dean.