July 8th 2015

Okan Avni

At the age of twenty-three, I have spent practically all of my life in education. During nine years of primary school, five years of secondary school and a further five years of university, I have encountered a great many teachers of varying ability and kindness. I have had good teachers and bad teachers, boring teachers and eccentric ones, those who have been strict and some who probably really shouldn’t have been teachers at all. I have had a fair few excellent teachers and a handful who have been exceptional. I will remember Okan Avni not only as an exceptional teacher, but also as an amazing man and a good friend.
From my very first day of secondary school, Mr Avni made me feel at home. Starting at a big new school full of people you don’t know is a nerve-wracking experience for anyone, but the warmth that was shown to me on that first morning made me feel glad that this man would be my tutor for the next five years. I soon learned that this level of compassion and friendliness I received wasn’t special treatment at all. He was like this with all of his students, many of whom have been in contact to provide the messages included below. His tutees that I have talked to have mentioned how lucky they feel to have had him as a tutor; other students have told me they are jealous that they didn’t. He was a brilliant man and will be sorely missed.

Below are contributions from past and current pupils, all of whom had the privilege of being in his tutor set at St Paul's. The adjacent photograph is of his last group of tutees. (Jonathan Jackson)

Okan was one of the kindest, funniest and most genuine men I've met in my life. He was always smiling and happy no matter the situation, and was undoubtedly the best tutor and mentor I could have had. He will be missed a lot. (Hatam Al-Turaihi)

Dear Mr Avni,
You were a key contributor to 5 years that make me who I am today. You were always up for a laugh, letting us wreak havoc playing football in the electronic lab, and always available for us to come to for advice when we needed help making tough decisions. In my interview for St. Paul’s I was asked what traits I would like my tutor to have and I replied that ideally they would enjoy sports and have a sense of humour. To me you were the perfect tutor and you helped make my time at St Paul's possibly the best 5 years of my life. You seemed to enjoy almost every day and from your example I will attempt to do the same.
You will always live on through us. (Marius Hutcheson)

You were simply more than a tutor to me Mr Avni. You became a friend. I cannot express how much you helped me throughout my time in St Paul’s as well as to this day. Your patience with my constant troublemaking, your advice when I was in need, and your friendship when I had no one to talk to will never be forgotten. When most had lost faith in me, you remained confident in my ability and felt genuine happiness at my success. From my first day in your tutor set to the last day - it was a constant joy (mostly spent in your office laughing about my track record of detentions). I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a source of inspiration.
My deepest condolences to his family – I know he has a wonderful wife who we had the pleasure of inviting to our house as well as 3 boys who I had the pleasure to study with.  I have no doubt they will go on to make their father proud.  
Rest in Peace Sir. You will be forever etched in my memory. (Zafir Mashhood)

I coincidently ran into Okan about 6 months ago, en route to Stamford Bridge on the district line. "Aren't you a United fan" he joked rather loudly at a packed Fulham Broadway - it was clear he was in good spirits! It was real pleasure to see him watching his beloved Chelsea and really enjoying himself given his unfair circumstance. A humble and kind man, Okan's passing is a tragic loss, may he rest in peace. (Jay Patel)

No one person made me feel more welcome and comfortable being at St Paul's than Mr Avni. Not only was Mr Avni the best tutor any student could dream of having (confirmed to me by countless exclamations of 'your tutor is Mr Avni? LUCKY!' by others), he was also a highly skilled teacher of formidable intelligence. Above all of that, though, Mr Avni was a very good friend to a very great deal of people who are all significantly better off having met him and gotten to know him.
Mr Avni would work tirelessly to help anyone; the sort of inspiration in a teacher that Mr Avni emanates to anyone who was lucky enough to experience him comes along once or twice in a lifetime. The impact he has made on us as a tutor, teacher and friend will last for ever and surely we will always remember him.
Thank you for everything you have done and the everlasting impression you have left on us, Mr Avni. We are proud of you and profoundly grateful for you. (Manav Kohli)

Okan Avni was one of the most kind-hearted and caring men I have ever had the privilege of meeting. His compassionate nature and eagerness to help, got me through some of the tougher times in my life. He always found time to chat when I had trouble, or was struggling with school, and no matter the issue big or small, never let me feel like I was alone. It was for these reasons that I made sure to keep in touch with Mr Avni after graduating - and he always seemed so genuinely pleased to see me! That was the warmth he carried with him. To say we have lost a good man is doing him a disservice: Okan Avni was a great man - and one of the most influential people in shaping the path my life has taken. 
So Mr Avni, I need to thank you so much for everything you have done for me - I owe so much to you. You were with me through some of the most challenging years of my life - and I would certainly not have come out the same without your unwavering support.  Although we have lost you in body, your legacy will live on through those of us that were blessed enough to know you and learn from you. You will be severely missed. Rest in peace. (Aditya Chanrai)

I think that everyone who knew Okan would agree that he was about the most cheerful, smiley guy you could know.  He managed to be completely unflappable, and deeply interested in each of his tutees' lives.  Even once we'd left, coming back to visit we knew that his door was always open, and he was always there with a big grin on his face (particularly if you arrived without warning!). He always wanted the best for his tutees, and for that, and so much more, he will be sorely missed. (Dan Harvey)

Both as my physics teacher and my tutor, Mr Avni transformed my St Paul’s experience. Kind and caring, he was always on the students' side. He was so open and sincere with his students that if I ever had a question, even from a maths class he didn’t teach me for, I would go to him and he would explain it clearly and simply — his unpretentious, cheerfully kind demeanour made him for me the most approachable teacher I’ve had. As a tutor, he was always willing to help, a true supporter of every one of his tutees; the strongest thing that connected all his tutees together was our respect for, attachment and devotion to Mr Avni. Each morning’s tutor meetings were something to look forward to. I cannot think back to St Paul’s without Mr Avni being in the fore of my mind.  (Peter Martin)

The first day of school for any young fourth former coming into St Paul’s can be a scary and daunting experience.  You have worries about making friends, keeping up in class, and just fitting in but, somehow, Mr Avni made things all right; I think it was something to do with that smile!  The sense of community that he built into his tutor group was the envy of our peers and if I ever had a problem, or just wanted to chat, he always had time, no matter how busy he was; and he never complained (even as we wrecked his lab played Ping-Pong tennis across the room).  He cared for each and every one of his tutees both when at school and after they had left and was delighted to hear of our successes and gave good advice when we failed; I miss him already.  (Thomas Jackson)

'Teacher' is a complex word.  I never had the privilege of being formally taught by Okan but I am entirely sure that he was the best teacher I had at St Paul's.  His lessons were those of compassion, calmness and equanimity, far more valuable and deep than maths, chemistry or geography.  I intend to live life as well and as decently as possible, and one of the reasons for that is Okan's example. (Charlie Bain)