My first memory of Richard and Carol is being taken to visit them in their enviable Riverside residence on our first day in Townsville on the Australia Day weekend in 1974.

A day or two later, on my first day at work at James Cook University, I went to the tearoom to get a cuppa from the tea lady (it was long ago), called Mrs Steen. Richard called her Mrs Steam.

I went in to join my new colleagues and Richard said in a rich Irish brogue "Ah, here's Richard the Turd". It wasn't due to the hunchback, but apparently, two other Pommies called Richard, including RK, preceded me in the Department. Just a few years later I happily rose to be "Richard the Only" after my predecessors had moved to greater things – Richard, of course, to his stellar career.

My main interactions with him in the first couple of years were when he applied his theatrical skills to developing an annual review of our department, Biological Sciences. It was held on April 1, fittingly, and followed the style of the old-time English music hall, with risqué jokes and jolly songs lampooning the University, its administration, our fellow staff and, especially, our Welsh Professor.

Typical style of songs was: To the tune of my favourite things: When the shark bites, when the bee stings When I'm feeling terse I simply remember my favourite friends And then I feel much worse!

To the tune of the Major General song with Chris Alexander standing on a table and beaming, and Blair and Pomeroy singing: I am the very model of a modern senior lecturer… etc. etc.… Stay close to your desk and never got to sea and you can be Professor of Marine Biology.

Or, to the tune of "Lily the Pink": Jimmy Luong Van should have his own song sang But we can't pronounce his na-a-ame . So we try Lim Lam or even Ban Bang – What the heck, they’re all the same. [This was in the dying days of the non-PC era]

Then there were the "I say, I say, I say" jokes, of the following ilk: I say, I say, I say, did you hear that the Professor has a new binocular microscope? Really? Yes, now he can be one-eyed with both eyes at once. I say, I say, I say, what have a botanist, a zoologist and a mute owl in common? I don't know… What do they have in common? None of them could give two hoots about marine biology.

And there was the famous occasion when we presented the "Throne of Corns", being a witty interpretation of a certain starfish. It was an old dining chair to the seat of which numerous spikes had been attached. It was presented to the Professor with the aside that "One more prick on the chair would make no difference".

The poor fellow never attended again.

Richard orchestrated, directed and partly wrote the initial iterations of this happy event. I think all the participants and nearly all of the audience but one would remember him for that wit, creativity and musicality.

All contributed enormously to a high level of collegiality, rarely seen these days.

These are indeed happy memories.

Barbara and I extend our condolences and best wishes to Carol, the boys and families, but celebrate with you a life well lived. Richard Pearson