Page 11 - br-june-2021

June 2021

OBITUARIES

caravanning trip to Damage Barton in Devon, where she sat in the
sun with a smile on her face; happy and at peace-where she
belonged. My parents were there for each other through the difficult times,
and my Mum often said of my Dad that she could not have gone on to
achieve what she did without him.
My Mum was a brilliant Mum. She balanced being a mother with achieving 5
educational qualifications, and pursuing a career in teaching and then as a
priest. She managed both sides simultaneously and my brother and I never
came second. We know that my Mum was proud of us, as we are of her. In
partnership with my Dad, we were given a loving and happy childhood full of
lovely memories, including holidays, Christmases, birthdays, and my Mum’s
signature coffee cake and apple crumble, which she made for us despite the
fact that she couldn’t eat it herself, due to her diabetes. My mum was there for
us in difficult times, and was a counsellor as well as a mother in such
circumstances. She had also always wanted a daughter, and the love that she
had for us was passed on to our wives Nicola and Lisa when they joined our
family. My brother and I were raised in such a way that we were encouraged
to pursue our own interests and be ourselves, whilst being instilled with a strong
sense of right and wrong and independence, and not to take anything in life
as a given or for granted. During this difficult time, my brother and I, along with
my Dad, have drawn on the strength that my Mum instilled in us, which has
allowed us to meet the challenges of the past year with stoicism and resilience.
Although we miss my Mum greatly, and wish she were here, we are still here as
a family, and we owe this to her.
My Mum was a proud Nanny. She was thrilled to become a grandmother, and
shortly after her grandson Harry was born, she took him around the village to
show everyone; I was always taken aback by how everyone knew Harry
wherever he went. My Mum went all out to give him a great time whenever
she saw him, including his first birthday, for which she organised a party and
baked his cake, and would spend a lot of time and effort knitting him new
items of clothing. She and Harry adored one another; and this endured into her
final days.
My Mum was a caring and loyal friend. She was there
for her friends regardless of circumstance, and
supported them through difficult times with no
judgement, but with love and encouragement. She
was always willing to listen, and offer advice where
appropriate. My mum’s friends remember her as great
fun; from the happy memories that they have of her
on caravanning holidays, when they enjoyed

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