TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who dedicated his life to others.

Devoted royalist David Judge was a leading light in the Rotary club and the Colchester Sea Scouts.

He was described by friends as a “human dynamo” who was an inspiration to all who knew him.

Mr Judge, who lived in Cottage Drive, Colchester, died at St Helena Hospice on Tuesday after suffering from multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. He was 78.

His wife, Christine, was at his side. She said: “We had been married for 25 years and it was a privilege to have been with him for that time.

“We had a marvellous life. I was with him and holding his hand. I would not have left him.”

Mr Judge became an MBE for his services to the community.

He had been introduced to community work as a child. His mother, Aileen, was involved in the League of Hospital Friends at Essex County Hospital and he played his part by collecting litter left after the hospital fete.

He was one of the founder members and was a past president of Colchester Forum Rotary Club and between 2002 and 2008 was the world president and chairman of the International Fellowship of Scouting Rotarians.

Mr Judge was Rotary district governor for Essex in 1999 and was invited to a Royal garden party in Buckingham Palace.

He was also a dedicated supporter of Colchester Sea Scouts having joined the 17th Colchester Sea Scouts when he was ten-years-old.

He was with them for more than 60 years including serving as the group’s president.

His love of the sea cadets and the influence of his uncle Maurice Ransom, an engineer lieutenant in the Royal Navy, lead him to sign up for the navy for his National Service.

In 21 months, between 1956 and 1958, he covered 47,000 miles and visited 16 countries, the beginning of his wanderlust which continued throughout his life.

After completing his National Service, he worked for the stationers Ryman before joining Markhams in 1961.

He started Markham’s Office Equipment, which had an office in Colchester High Street, and he built the company up before buying it himself.

He stayed with the company for 32 years, along with his other business interests in Moel Contracts, Moel Technical Services and Moelprint.

Mr Judge was a lifelong Royal supporter and he helped to organise the celebrations in Colchester for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

He was chairman of the Colchester and District Jubilee Co-ordinating Committee and was involved in organising a range of activities to mark the historic day.

He remembered, with his usual good humour, standing on the steps of Colchester Town Hall on Monday, June 6, 1977, getting wetter and wetter as the rain fell.

As well as the parties, Mr Judge was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest painting in the country. The montage was divided into 5,000 pieces and Mr Judge was sponsored £1 for each he painted.

Mr Judge also leaves a daughter, Christine Deane, from his marriage to his first wife, Nadine, who died.

A celebration of his life will be held at the end of October or early November.