Joyce Verrall JOYCE Verrall (89), of North Pole Road, Barming, was known throughout the area for her tremen- dous achieve- ments as a charity fundraiser who – with a dedicated group of friends – had raised more than £320,000 for Cancer Research UK since 1981. They were awarded the or- ganisation’s Certificate of Out- standing Achievement when they hit the £200,000 mark. Joyce’s activities included running a keep-fit class with proceeds going to the charity, and high-profile events such as her abseil down Miller House in Lower Stone Street in 2009. Gillingham-born, Joyce was married for 60 years to Denis, and mother to Anna and Julie, who said: “Mumwas the centre of our family, she embraced life and had a warm and generous heart. She will be greatly missed by us all.” Joyce served with an anti-air-


craft battery during the war, seeing postings around the country. She remained loyal to the services and spent years working for the Air Training Corps in Maidstone. She also regularly attended the Old Rec- tory gym in Maidstone and often went to ballets in London. Widowed in 2005, Joyce leaves her daughters, three grandchildren and three great- grandchildren.


Dr Sreedhan Roy DR Sreedhan Roy (72), who lived in Vinters Park for the last 27 years, was a mathemati- cian who taught for al- most a decade at Maidstone Grammar School. Born in India, Dr Roy


came to the UK in 1966. He achieved first and second de- grees before completing a PhD in mathematics at Imperial Col-


We will remember


lege, London. As well as working in Maid-


stonehewentontoteach at Mid-Kent College in Chatham, from where he retired. Married for 37 years to Sukla, Sreedhan was father to daugh- ters Curie and Somali and son Dravid. His widow said: “My hus-


band was a loving and caring family man. His work was his passion, he published aca- demic papers in international journals and was absorbed in maths.”


Jackie Smith JACQUELINE ‘Jackie’ Smith (69), of Redewood Road, Barm- ing, taught for several years at Maplesden Noakes secondary school in the curriculum support unit. A native of


West York- shire and the youngest of three chil- dren, she won a scholarship


to grammar school, which led to a career teaching English. She met her future husband


Mike at a New Year’s party in London. The couple moved to Dorset, then Oxfordshire, be- fore settling in Kent. She enjoyed the outdoor life, taking camping holidays with her two boys, David and Stephen. After retirement Jackie joined


the Ramblers, which gave her the chance to make new social contacts after Mike died and to visit the beautiful places she loved. She also helped to run the bookshop for the Friends of Maidstone Hospital. Several of her former teach-


ing colleagues attended a serv- ice of thanksgiving at Vinters Park crematorium. They paid tribute to a “wonderful” woman. “Her quiet compassion never


failed to move and inspire her friends, supporting other adults in difficult times. “We will remember her for


Monumental Stonemasons Est. 1973


NAMM, BRAMM & NAMLC Registered New Memorials Tablets, Plaques & Vases


Cleaning, Renovation & Restoration Safety Inspections Memorial Insurance Arranged Free Brochures


Telephone 01622 762482 01233 636500 01795 436178 2 Sutton Road Maidstone Kent ME15 9AH 68 Kent Avenue Ashford Kent TN24 8NQ Howt Green Bobbing Sittingbourne Kent ME9 8QP


34 Town


her warmth, her witty sense of humour and her wisdom,” they added.


John Blackman JOHN Blackman (48) was also known as Balloonatic the Clown, the name he used when working as a professional chil- dren’s entertainer. He moved to Headcorn three


years ago, having previ- ously lived in Sutton Va- lence, Lenham and Biddenden. John died in


an accident involving his motorbike and a car on the A28 near Rolvenden on April 26. Gravesend-born, he had trav-


elled the world and enjoyed many adventures. John’s eventful life also in- cluded a spell in the Army and a period of HGV driving. His interest in balloon ani-


mals began in San Francisco around 1993, afterwatching the local entertainers there. He worked throughout the


local area and much further afield as Balloonatic, entertain- ing at children’s parties, shows, events and promotions. His partner of four years, Maggie Doig, said; “John loved travelling, experiencing other cultures and meeting people. He was outgoing and sociable and had many friends.” Maggie said: “John was also a talented golfer, andwon dozens of trophies. He lived life to the full – ‘can’t’ was a word he did- n’t understand.” A Facebook tribute to John


read: “He was an incredible source of enthusiasm, encour- agement and strength.”


Pam Swanborough THE life of Pamela “Pam” Swanborough (83), who had lived in Sutton Road since 1953,was marked with a hu- manist funeral featuring a white coffin and white horses.


Daughter


Janet said: “My mother had fantastic cre- ative talents. “She could have been a pro- fessional artist but her father wasn’t in favour of it. But she used her talents practically, such as making most of the clothes for me and my sister.” Born Pamela Hodges on Corn-


wallis Road and married for al- most 58 years to Alan, Pam worked locally as a secretary for firms including Avery Scales and Bunyards. She loved her final job at the fire station in Loose, where she


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


joked that her duties included pushing firemen down the pole. Pamela raised twins Janet and


Patsy. She had not realised she was carrying twins until she was giving birth. Janet said: “Mymother was always bubbly and creative.When I became ill she was my carer and she stayed healthy and full of life until she was 80. She helped my sister and I run the Rosehill Studio – our art gallery on the Isles of Scilly – and took a lot of enjoyment in the fact we had been able to have a career in art. “She also owned a tortoise, bought when she was a child visitingMaidstone Zoo. It’s still alive and believed to be over 100.”


Pamela leaves her widower and daughters.


David Slender AFORMERcaretakeratOak- wood Park Grammar School has died suddenly. David John Slender was 51. He used to live in Western


Road, Barming, but moved to Queenborough where his mother, Sylvia, had looked after him for the past year. He had be-


come wheel- chair-bound in


recent


months after an accident a few years ago at Emley Prison. He moved there from his school job, which he had done for five years. His sister-in-law Jane said he


was a “gentle giant” who did a lot of work for Maidstone’s an- nual river festival. She added: “He was known by so many people. He had many friends and used to drink at various pubs, including The Old House At Home, TheWalnut Tree and The Fox.”


Michal Jaskowski A TEMPORARY shrine was set up in the town’s Market Build- ings in memory of chef Michal Jaskowski (25). Michal – who had moved lo-


cally from his native Poland – lived in Florence Road and worked in Zizzi’s in Earl Street. He collapsed and died on his


waytoworkonApril 26 and the shrinewas established near Bar Chocolate, where he col- lapsed.


The Stone Shop Memori al s . Any natural stone supplied, lettered and installed anywhere. Ins cri ptions added to existing memorials Renovations and memorial cleaning


The Stone Shop Station Hill, East Farleigh, Kent.


01622 726633


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48