Popular GP dies aged 71

A “highly-respected and much-loved” Black Country GP, who was a founder member of the Dudley Kingswinford Running Club, has died aged 71.

Dr Peter Oliver Morrill, formerly of Lower Gornal Health Centre, in Bull Street, died on Thursday in Perigeux, France. He leaves his wife Johanna, three daughters, Erica, Marijke and Irene, as well as eight grandchildren. A close friend of the GP, who died after a two-year cancer fight, today said he will be “missed terribly”.

John Pegg was speaking before flying out to Perigeux for the funeral.

Dr Morrill worked at Lower Gornal Health Centre, in Bull Street, for 29 years before retiring in 1995 and later relocating to France.

He was described by colleagues as “a very highly-respected, much-loved member of the community.”

Mr Pegg, aged 66, a retired sub-postmaster from Wall Heath, had known Dr Morrill for 30 years and said he was “a lovely bloke, just a very nice man” who was very popular with his patients.

“He was a very well-loved doctor in Lower Gornal,” he said.

The pair met at a keep-fit class at Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Club and both joined DK Running Club when it was established by Dr Dick Blackburn, who was one of Dr Morrill’s partners at the Lower Gornal surgery.

Mr Pegg said Dr Morrill “loved” the outdoors and was a very capable mountaineer and golfer.

“He was just as happy in a tent in Scotland as he would be in the Savoy hotel in London,” he said.

“He had a very good life and he enjoyed every moment.

“His wife Johanna used to do a lot of things with him and I think she is going to miss him terribly. They were very close,” he said.

Mr Pegg said Dr Morrill had handled his terminal illness “brilliantly” and had continued to be active up until his death.