Marcus Wheeler (1927–2020)

Born in Amersham in Buckinghamshire, the son of a vicar, Mr Wheeler initially studied classics at Oxford University.

It was during his call-up for National Service that he was offered the opportunity to learn Russian.

He worked for Oxford University Press and the British Foreign Office in Moscow in the 1960s, where he translated for politicians.

In 1967 he moved to Belfast and became the first Professor of Slavonic studies at Queen's University.

In 1972 he wrote the first Oxford Russian-English Dictionary - the first to be published outside Russia - and over the years he continued to update the work.

Prof Wheeler officially retired from Queen's University in 1993 after 25 years.