Dick Harris RICHARD “Dick” Harris (89), a stalwart of the old boys of Maid- stone Grammar School, was still affectionately known as “Binky” by former classmates with whom he attended din- ners.


Dick devoted his career to in- surance, start- ing


with


Northern As- surance in Chatham after he left school and ending in Maidstone in a management role with Com- mercial Union (now incorpo- rated with Aviva). He lived almost all his life in Boughton Monchelsea. The only major interruption came with RAF war service as a wire- less operator which took him to West Africa and Burma. Married for 44 years to Dorothy, Dick was father to Jonathan, Carolyn, Diana and Anita.


Carolyn said: “My father


loved all sports; he played rugby for Maidstone and cricket for Linton Park where he served the club in all kinds of roles, everything from chairman to making the tea.” Dick, who was widowed in


1996, leaves his children, eight grandchildren and one great- grandchild.


Patricia Joslyn PATRICIA “Pat” Joslyn (nee Jor- dan) lived in Sydney Street for the final 15 years of her life, having moved to Vinters Park a few years before with husband Paul. The couple had met in Pat’s native London and travelled with Paul’s work, settling lo- cally after spells in Maiden- head, Essex and Bristol. Pat, who was a hairdresser,


raised daughters Nichola and Caroline and also worked for a number of years at Quigleys in Week Street. Daughter Nichola said: “Peo-


ple remember my mother as a bubbly and funny person, al- ways kind and very generous to others.” Despite divorcing, Pat re- mained very good friends with Paul. Pat (60) leaves her daughters


and granddaughters Chloe, Maisy and Isabelle.


Dr Brian Pollard A WELL-known local GP, who also trained others, has died at The Heart of Kent Hospice. Dr Brian Pollard (84), who lived in Linton, qualified as a doctor in 1954 after a period in the Army. He had overcome childhood ill- ness to serve in the forces and train in medicine. Working as a GP in the local


area he treated thousands of pa- tients and was central to the training of doctorswho work lo-


We will remember


cally today. One of his former colleagues and students, Dr Paul Hobday, spoke at Dr Pol- lard’s funeral service at St Nicholas’ Church, Linton Hill, saying he was “a hugely popu- lar old-school GP with an in- quisitive brain”. Dr Pollard’s son, Chris, also


spoke at the service, describing his father as a “glass half full” man. Dr Pollard leaves his wife of


61 years, Joan.


Rita Clews MAIDSTONE MP Helen Grant attended the funeral of Rita Clews (78), who had been in- volved with the local Conserva- tive Association’s Ladies’ Luncheon Club. Cornwall-born (nee Colling),


she trained in Plymouth and married David in 1955. She had started work as a district nurse by the time they moved to Worcestershire. She offered her services to the


West Kent Hos- pital during a flu outbreak, proving so able she was offered a staff nursing job in 1970. She went on to work as a dis- trict nurse in Larkfield, in the then pioneer- ing field of home palliative care for the terminally ill. She later worked at Reed’s paper mill in Aylesford and retired in 1985. Widower David said; “Rita


was very active socially. She chaired the organising commit- tee for the Kent Association for the Blind and was involved with Boxley Church. “The pioneering work in pal- liative care is typical of what she did best.” The couple lived in Downs


Road and, later, Raymer Road, in Penenden Heath. Rita leaves her widower, son Alec and two grandchildren.


Derek Sayer PENENDEN Heath resident Derek Sayer’s local knowledge helped to shape books about the area.


Derek (84) contributed signif-


icant information about the local area to both Robin Am- brose's books, 'Boxley - The Story Of An English Parish' and the recently released 'Penenden Heath's Story'. Derek’s parents moved to Maidstone in 1937. Good at sport, he was a first XI fast bowler at the grammar school by the age of 14 and a fine swimmer. In 1945, his spirit of adven-


ture led him to the Palestine Po- lice Force, keeping the precarious peace on the border with Lebanon.


Soon after his return in 1948,


he met and married Mavis with whom he would share over half a century of happy family life before her death in 2003. He worked for Rowntree Mackintosh for more than 36 years becoming a national ac- counts manager, including the Safeway account at Aylesford. As a boy, Derek had lived in Penenden Heath Road through the war years and returned to Penenden Heath with his family in 1973 to live in Staplers Court opposite the Bull Inn. After retiring in 1986, Derek travelled the world, enjoyed caravanning and cruising but was always keen to return to the area to be near his family. Derek died peacefully at The


Heart of Kent Hospice on De- cember 23, leaving his daughter Hilary, son Barry, grandson Duncan and brothers John and David. Daughter Hilary said: “He will


be remembered by all who knew him, for his generous hu- mour, his companionship, his sound advice and his courage to the last.”


Roy Adgie ROY Adgie (94) worked for many years as a printer at the Kent Messenger and, after war service with RAF 615 Squadron, spent 33 years work- ing for Alabaster Passmore and Sons printing works in Tovil. Born in Hope Street, Roy’s as- sociations with local activities included years of service to Scouting. He was a founder member of St Paul’s Scouts and did a weekly column in the KM under the name of “Array”. He was a regular churchgoer,


and had pumped the organ in St Paul’s Church as a boy. Married to Kathleen, who


died nine weeks before him, Roy and his wife had moved to Derbyshire to be near daughters Janet and Margaret. They also leave two other children, five grandchildren and three great- grandchildren.


Valerie Smith VALERIE Smith (73) of Alling- tonwas a well-known local per- sonality who had written a Roundabout column for the Kent Messenger, covering local community news, for several years. She showed dedication to her


work, frequently gathering sto- ries from her own activities as a volunteer in the Hospice of Hope charity shop at Mid-Kent Shopping Centre, Allington. Colleagues have praised her dedication, ‘lovely’ nature and kindness to others. Liverpool-born, Valerie moved locally with husband John and the couple spent years running pubs including The


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


White Horse in London Road, Maidstone. Valerie leaves her widower, daughter Amanda and grandchildren India and Char- lie.


Bernie Oakley BERNARD “Bernie” Oakley (71), of Madginford, spent most of his working life doing a job he loved, at AJ Hairdressing in Maidstone. Born in the town, Bernie’s


early life had included a spell in the Royal Sussex Regiment. Whilst working on cross chan- nel ferries out of Folkestone he met his wife of 44 years, Wendy. When the couple both got jobs locally, he in AJ’s – then located in Market Buildings – and she at East Malling Research Station, they moved to Cross Street, Maid- stone. In 1981 they moved to Lambourne Road, Madginford. His widow Wendy said: “Bernie was very sociable and really enjoyed meeting people. He loved spending time at the Bearsted and Thurnham Club and he could look back on his life, and a job he really enjoyed, with a lot of satisfaction. He worked for AJ’s for more than 40 years.” Bernie had made many friends through his work and after retiring continued to cut some people’s hair from home. He leaves his widow and sons Ivan and Neil.


Johanna Coakley JOHANNA “Jo” Coakley (103) formerly of Chart Sutton, worked locally as a teacher at St Francis’ School, Maidstone. An Irish Catholic by birth (nee Kennedy), and raised in County Tipperary, her family supported her to move to Southampton and train as a teacher. She spent her career in Catholic schools, starting in Beverley, near Hull, and moving to Maidstone in the 1940s. Jo married engineer Brian in


1945 and the couple enjoyed 40 years of marriage. Her friend of many years, Ian


Hoad, said: “Jo lived in Chart Sutton from around 1960 until three years ago when she moved to the Loose Valley Nursing Home. She remained independ- ent until she was 100, and took a pride in offering really good hospitality. Giving guests home- made cakes and some Quick Brew tea always mattered to her.


“Her teaching went back to


the days when discipline mat- tered a lot. She had classes of up to 54 children at a time. She kept her faith and worshipped at the Holy Family Church in ParkWood.” Jo leaves her many friends in England and a large extended family in Ireland.


Town 29


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