It is with great sadness to report the passing of Justine Travis after a brave but short battle against Ovarian Cancer.
Justine was well known throughout MAG, not just in her native Yorkshire, but nationally. Her MAG credentials were impeccable. She was a member for 25 years, joining at the MAG stand at the NEC Show in 1994, but didn't become an active member until the then Chair, Neil Liversedge, formed Wakefield MAG in January 2002. Justine went to the inaugural meeting of Wakefield MAG, alongside husband Steve, and it wasn't long until she became very active in the branch, holding the post of Finance Officer and Branch Secretary from 2003 to present.
Justine was also a MAG Director and National Finance Officer for 7 years, and by her own admission, used to have sleepless nights about MAG finances, particularly when the organisation was so reliant on the success of events, which themselves can be so vulnerable to the vagaries of the great British weather.
Justine was a woman of great integrity, honesty and with remarkable organisational skills. And if a job needed doing, she'd see it through to the very end - no matter how much stress it caused. Justine took a very active role in the running of the Yorkshire Pudding Rally, for the first few years, prior to it passing to the Magic Action Promotions portfolio of Yorkshire MAG rallies. She never wanted to run a rally, but felt obliged to step in and take control when the previous committee were clearly out of their depth and the event would have made an eye watering loss.
People often asked Justine how she got into motorbikes. She genuinely didn't know. She came home from work one day - two years after getting married - and simply said "Let's get a motorbike". She claimed it was her mid-life crisis (aged 25) - realising there must be more to life than working and decorating. Biking was a passion for Justine. As was her beloved MAG family.
Another passion of Justine's was rugby league and following Dewsbury Rams. It taught her a valuable life lesson - coping with disappointment on a weekly basis.
Justine was an avid film buff. She wrote many a Barry Norman style film critique on Facebook. Many friends have changed their minds about watching certain films because Justine gave it a less than complimentary review.
She loved science fiction and was a huge 'Star Wars' fan. There is a 'Star Wars' themed room in her house, and even had a custom 'Star Wars' paint job on her scooter.
Jus was seriously impressed when she had her scooter in Castle Honda for some work. The mechanic - a fellow 'Star Wars' fan - gave it an advisory for having the wrong colour laser beams on the Millennium Falcon. She had never noticed.
As Justine was such a film buff, we end this tribute with a very fitting quote from the film 'Blade Runner' - one of her favourite films (after Star Wars, obviously). The scene was where Tyrell was talking to replicant, Roy Batty, who had come to meet his maker about his mortality.
"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Justine".
The funeral was held on Monday 17th June and a Cortège of over a hundred bikes escorted the motorbike and sidecar hearse to the Crematorium.
Justine always wanted a big send off and she certainly got that. A fitting tribute to a much loved and highly respected MAG stalwart.
At total of £1063.10 was raised for Cancer Research UK, from a collection made at Justine's funeral service (£831.85) and a further £231.25 from on-line donations. Thank you for your kind donations, and hopefully this can go some way to eradicating this cruel disease.
Steve Travis
June 2019