Desmond and Alvis


Butters DES and Alvis Butters (89 and 88 respectively), most recently of the Royal British Legion Vil- lage, Aylesford, were married for 67 years and died within a few days of each other. Their joint funeral at St


Peter’s Church, Ditton, was marked by an RAF bugler and a Spitfire flypast. The couple met when Des worked in the Civil Service at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham. Having witnessed the Battle of Britain, Des vol- unteered for RAF service, train- ing as a pilot and going on to fly 52 operations to Germany and Europe. The couple’s wedding caused


Des to miss the infamous Nuremberg raid,which cost the lives of 545 allied air crew. Des rose to become a deputy


bomb master, and his work on missions including the bomb- ing of Dresden and Operation Manna (dropping food to starv- ing Dutch civilians) earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar. Alvis served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during the war. Des took foreign postings after


the war and Alvis moved with him,working as PA to company managers in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Singapore. The couple adopted one son, Tony.Onmovingbacktothe


We will remember


Maidstone area, Des worked as administrator of Preston Hall General Hospital and deputy secretary of Oakwood Hospital. He was a central figure in the founding of Ditton Bowls Club and, from 1997, he spoke in schools, telling young children of war service. Des was also a long-standing member of West Kent Speakers Club. Tony Butters has spoken of


the devotion his parents showed to each other. Des and Alvis leave their son,


and grandchildren Luke and Duncan.


Mary Luxford MARY Luxford (84), most re- cently of Farleigh Court, Barm- ing, lived locally most of her life. Raised near Ashford as Mary Joynson, she married husband Donald in 1961 and the couple first settled on Bearsted Road. They moved to Harrietsham be- fore spending their final 38 years together in Farleigh Court. Donald Luxford said: “Mary


did a range of things in her life including domesticwork, clean- ing for Kent County Council and work for Batchelors canning fac- tory near Ashford. She also did seasonal work on farms.” Mary was mother to son Ian. Donald said: “We both loved country and westernmusic and


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went regularly to Aylesford, Snodland and Larkfield clubs. Mary got on with everyone and made friends easily.” Mary leaves her husband and


son.


Min Andrew MINNIE “Min” Vera Andrew (91), of Coxheath, lived all of her life in the local area. Born Minnie Heasman, she


grew up with four siblings in Milton Street, Maidstone. She worked


at Hills and Steels Depart- ment Store in Week Street and the Prim- rose and Len Milk Bar in Lower Stone Street before meeting and marrying her husband of 54 years, Stanley. Living in Wheeler Street, the couple raised Leila, Lesley and Larraine. Min took in sewing and ran a second-hand shop in Wheeler Street (now the RSPCA shop), while Stanley worked as a car- penter and builder all over the country. Stanley later turned the shop


into a pease pudding and faggot shop, also selling cakes and pies, which Min ran on her own. The couple extended their work to run Handyman’s Cor- ner in County Road, Maid- stone’s first DIY outlet, and later opened shops in Hedley Street, Peel Street and Milton Street. The family moved to the


Weald, living at times in Had- low, Horsmonden, Cranbrook, Tudely, Brenchley and finally


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26 Malling


HADLOW cemetery is to be ex- tended to provide for the area’s growing population during the next 50 years. Opened in 1881, the burial ground has 4,184 graves and three areas of memorial gardens containing about 400 plots for cremated remains. However, the parish council


says it is reaching its capacity, with space remaining for just 82 graves and 62 plots for crema- tions. It is expected to be full within about eight years for burials and just six years in the memorial garden for the inter- ment of ashes. With new housing develop- ments over the past 20 years,


Cross-at-Hand, Staplehurst. After Stanley’s death, Min moved to Coxheath. Daughter Larraine said: “My mother loved gardening, and knitted socks to raise money for the air ambulance. “She was always smiling and


liked a good chuckle, even near the end of her life, when she was ill.” Min leaves her daughters, 10 grandchildren and six great- grandchildren.


Neil Crighton A SERVICE of thanksgiving for the life of Neil Crighton was held at All Hallows-by-the- Tower Church in London. Neil (66), who divided his


time between homes in West Farleigh and the Barbican, was well-known in the area, having been brought up and educated in Medway, before working in education administration and newsprint distribution in Maid- stone. He ran an off-licence in Ditton before moving to Charl- ton Lane, West Farleigh, in 1971. His career in pensions in the


City brought him into contact with Joan,who later became his wife, and the couple divided their time between their two homes, enjoying the city’s cul- ture during theweek and a rural retreat at the weekends. Neil was a keen supporter of


West Farleigh Sports Club, join- ing them on their regular trips to Ringstedt. He was a former member of the West Kent Speakers Club, and, more re- cently, a member of the West Farleigh Community Centre Committee. He helped to distribute the village newsletter and was al- ways keen to become involved in community activities. Donations in lieu of flowers are to fund a seat at the sports club.


Cemetery extension plot agreed


the population of Hadlow has increased to more than 4,000 and is likely to continue rising. Proposals to extend the 1.2- hectare cemetery into an ad- joining half-hectare agricultural plot have been submitted to Tonbridge andMalling Council. By the time the extension is full, space in the current site is expected to have become avail- able through the expiration of existing plot leases. The application says: “The extension will provide a much- needed facility for the local population.” Theplotwillbeboughtbythe parish council subject to ob- taining planning consent.


Villagers go to polls to choose councillor VOTERS inWest Peckham will go to the polls on Thursday, Au- gust 23, to elect a new member of the parish council. The two candidates are Nicola Gibb and MichaelWooldridge.


The polling station, in the village hall, will be open from 7am to 10pm.


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


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