On 28 October 2004, a few days after his 83rd birthday, Michael Treweeke died suddenly but peacefully at his home in Witney, Oxfordshire, where he had lived for 50 years to the month. He came from a family of Cornish farmers who moved to a farm near Chipping Norton a few years before his birth.

Farming was not for Michael however and after leaving school he joined the staff of Barclays Bank. Soon after the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Air Force but within a few months, when on embarkation leave, he contracted measles which resulted in severe complications. He spent five months in the RAF Hospital at Yatesbury during which time he was partially sighted for many weeks and completely blind for a while. Subsequently he was invalided out of the Service and after a complete recovery he rejoined Barclays. After the war he was able to obtain a Government FETS Grant (for ex-servicemen) and so follow the profession in which he was really interested. Married by this time he and his wife Betty moved to Bristol where he qualified as a dentist in 1953.

After a year's assistantship Michael started his own practice in Witney and many years later in Burford. From the outset he was totally committed to his profession. He became deeply involved with BDA and LDC affairs and was soon recognised as an outstanding member. His subsequent appointments and offices make a very long list; suffice it to say that he was held in very high regard by his fellows. Nationally, his worth was recognised by his appointment to the Dental Advisory Committee of the DHSS and the Sunningdale Conference on Dental Timings. For his services to dentistry he was awarded an MBE in 1985.

Parallel to this he became learned in dental law. Having been a Hospital Grade Practitioner at Bristol, one day a week for many years, he accepted an appointment there as part-time lecturer in Dental Jurisprudence. This led to membership of the dental advisory board of the MDU, and later as a part-time member of the dental secretariat of the Medical Protection Society.

As well as being a well-loved GDP Michael was a most devoted family man.

As well as being a well-loved GDP Michael was a most devoted family man with a daughter, son and four grandchildren. His interests included sailing, DIY, reading, amateur dramatics (in earlier years), active membership of the local Rotary and Probus clubs, and travel. In his retirement he also worked diligently for several charities, especially the RNLI for which he raised thousands of pounds in a variety of ways. Perhaps he would like to be remembered particularly for his two sponsored cycle rides some 175 miles each from the West Country back to Witney, the second of which was in his 82nd year.

Michael will be sadly missed and our thoughts are with Betty and their family.

As a final tribute from the dental world, but sadly one that Michael did not live to hear, in January it was announced at a meeting of Branch Council, South Mercia Branch that his name had been forwarded to the BDA HQ as deserving of a Life Membership of the BDA and that this had been ratified. He would have been proud of this rare accolade.