William Deans moved with his family to Cheltenham in 1984 to take up a post at GCHQ
William Deans moved with his family to Cheltenham in 1984 to take up a post at GCHQ
FranDeans
Mon 8 Feb 2021 14.44 EST
Last modified on Wed 10 Mar 2021 14.04 EST
My father, William Deans, who has died aged 69 from cancer, started every day with a quiet moment over a coffee, reading the Guardian, occasionally breaking the contented silence to discuss the latest news with his wife, Geraldine. William would then take the cryptic crossword aside and work on it periodically throughout the day, solving each clue with steady determination. His love for crosswords in his retirement can be seen as a natural progression from his successful career at Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ).