Marian Carr, Secretary of The English Ladies’ Golf Association since 1987, lost her four year fight against cancer on Tuesday 17th October and died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Bournville Birmingham.
The ELGA was Marian’s life for the last thirteen years and the Association owes much of its present day success to her hard work and dedication. She was greatly respected and admired by her fellow golfing administrators and loved by all who knew her. Over those years her many skills in running the affairs of the ELGA, in particular the National Championships, earned her many friends from both players and club members.
A County player for Worcestershire and a winner of the Midland Championship, Marian came from a golfing family. Her father was Secretary of West Sussex Golf Club and Marian had been a member of Royal St David’s Golf Club, Harlech since her early childhood. She was the reigning Lady Captain at Royal St David’s but sadly her deteriorating health made it impossible for her to achieve her ambition of seeing England win the Home Internationals there in September.
Marian would have been thrilled with the success of The Millennium Amateur Foursomes, a special competition which she had instigated, open to all club golfers, the final of which, poignantly, took place at her home club of Edgbaston on the day of her death. It was a very special occasion and represented all that Marian valued – the opportunity of making new friends through the game she loved.
Due to her failing health Marian , who would have been 54 in December, resigned from her post as ELGA Secretary in August. In her final months she was looked after by her dear friend Lesley Fox. However, Marian continued to provide valued advice to the Association until the very end. Always industrious, she refused to allow her illness to remove her ready smile and delightful sense of humour, a part of her character that will be greatly missed by all who knew her.