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March 2020 March 2020

OBITUARIES/EULOGIES

Janet Brady
Janet was born on 22 July 1939 at 50 West Street, Bere Regis - the youngest of
nd
five children of Owen and Elsie Skinner, joining her four older brothers Dennis,
Gerald, Raymond & Leonard. Janet grew up in Bere Regis, attending the village
school and made many life long friends.
Her older brothers spent time away in the army and Leonard fondly remembers
the many letters that Janet would send them. It was simpler times during her
childhood, when the village children had to make their own fun. Jean Gibbs
recalls her and Janet going to Woodbury Hill Fair, country dancing, catching the
old bus to Milborne for netball and cookery classes, films at the old WI Hut,
bonfires at the allotments and playing on West Street before there was any
traffic. They also used to enjoy the Bedford & Jesty outings by coach, which all
the family would join, to places like the Isle of Wight, although it mostly seemed
to rain.

Janet left school at 15, about a year after her Dad died, and started working for
Bedford & Jesty at the Watercress beds in Doddings. Janet worked throughout
most of her life, mainly with watercress but also at a local school and always
around the needs of her family.
Her husband, Joe Brady, was part of a group of Irish workmen who came to
Bere Regis to lay the water mains pipes in the late 1950’s – he met Janet and
ended up never leaving. They married in 1961 and went on to have four
children – Patrick, Andrew, Julie and Shaun. They lived at first with Janet’s
mother at 50 West Street, then spent a few years at Bovington before returning
to Bere Regis – first at Green Close until 1975 and then to Southbrook where
Janet spent 45 very happy years.
Janet enjoyed trips back to Ireland with Joe to see his family and spent time in
Scotland, the north of England, London and Oxford often visiting Joe’s many
brothers and sisters. Joe and Janet shared a love of gardening, growing many
vegetables and flowers together and had a happy £
but busy life bringing up their four children. Janet
sadly lost Joe to cancer in 1985 and never remarried,
remaining at the family home in Southbrook. Patrick,
Julie and Shaun settled in the area with Andrew
moving away for work and spending time overseas.
Janet quickly overcame her fear of flying to travel
with family to visit Andrew in Scotland, Dubai, Paris
and Italy.
Janet was extremely close to her Mum Elsie, visiting

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