Lilian Vane LILIAN Vane (96), who died at Barty House care home, was a resident of Yeoman Way, Bearsted, from 1948 to 2011, and formerly lived in Barming. Born Lilian Durling in Merstham, Surrey, she moved locally when young and married Douglas “Doug” in 1947. Doug worked forWaddington’s Games, in a management role involved in the making of the Subbuteo table football game and Lilian did secretarial work for Drake and Fletcher’smotor dealership. Friend and neighbour Janet Brimacombe said: “Lilian had a mischievous sense of humour and liked to tell jokes she had picked up at the bridge club. She kept dogs for most of her life and enjoyed music, her garden and reading. She was a very calm person and a really good friend.” Janet’s husband Peter said: “Lilian belonged to a number of local bridge clubs and could play to a very high standard, she was a heat winner at the Epson Worldwide Bridge Contest in 1990.” Lilian, who had three dogs, had no children and was widowed in 1993.


Alex Cliff FORMER Barming man Alexan- der “Alex” Cliff (57), who has died in Thailand, was very well- known throughout the local area from his years in the police, which earned him respect and a reputation as a fair and well- loved member of the force. London-born, he moved to Scotland as a young man and met his wife of 20 years, Val, at the pub where she worked as a barmaid. Alex served in the Lothian and Borders police force, earning a commendation from his chief constable for div- ing into very cold water near Leith to save a drowning woman. He and Val had children Louise and Nick and moved to Maid- stone in 1988, living in North Pole Road.


We will remember


Alex served in police cars and became resident police officer in Tovil. He persuaded the local paper mill to donate bicycles to the force and used one of those donated. Val said: “When he was assaulted and injured in 1993, we had 50 cards from well-wishers, including some from the criminal fraternity.” Alex recovered, going on to


serve inWest Malling, but an ac- cident while in Scotland a few years before retirement left him with a damaged ankle and forced him into office duties. Val added: “Alex played key- boards really well and had been considered for a place by the Royal College of Music when he was a boy; he loved fishing and polishing stones. He was well- respected as a quietly spoken and fair man.” Alex and Val retired to Thai-


land in 2007. Alex leaves his wife, children and twin grand- sons, Kode and Kai.


May Atkins MAY Atkins (104), who died at the Pilgrims Way care home in BowerMount Road,Maidstone, lived locally all her life. She spent


about a cen- tury at 16 Ter- minus Road, Fant, a home she only left for a brief spell in the 1930s to live in


Pope


Street. Born May Carter, she left school to work in a milliners’ and as a shop assistant inMaid- stone town centre. She met and married TomAtkins, a gas fitter, and raised children Jack, Allen and Linda. Later on, May re- turned to work for Lampard’s bakery in Barming. Jack Atkins said: “My parents


were married for about 60 years. Mymother enjoyed dancing and with my father she really en- joyed socialising and meeting friends.


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“My brother and sister both moved to New Zealand, andmy parents made the trip of their lifetime, visiting them by travel- ling on an ocean liner in the days when that was a regular way of going to New Zealand. My mother and father liked The Fountain pub in Barming and after my father’s death in 1996 my mother still went there from time to time.” May continued visiting The Fountain beyond her 100th birthday. “My mother will be remem-


bered as a lovely person with lots of friends, who saw many changes in life and didn’t have a badword to say about anyone.” May leaves her son Jack and


her daughter (son Allen died in 2010). She also leaves eight grandchildren and eight great- grandchildren with one more great-grandchild expected soon.


Fred Allen THE death has been announced on July 27 at Glan Clywd Hospi- tal inWales of Arthur Frederick “Fred” George Allen (87), for- merly of London Road, Maid- stone. Fred leaves hiswifeBetty, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.


Jim Saxby JAMES “Jim” Saxby (78) lived locally his whole life, and spent his final six years inCumberland Avenue, Shepway. His previous homes included Barming. Jim spent much of his working


life at Tilling Stevens andAyles- ford Paper Mill, doing produc- tion work, before taking a part-time job after retirement, cleaning at Maidstone Market. In his younger days he hadworked in London, cutting the grass at Clarence House for the Queen Mother. Married for 52 years to Shirley,


Jim was father to Sonia, Anita, Linda, Helen and Peter. Anita said: “He was a quiet man who liked his own company and loved going out to the coast. “He enjoyed pottering in his


shed making things, although not all of the results were suc- cessful. He once took the wheels of my new barbecue to make a trolley. He enjoyed playing fruit machines, both in town and


when hewent to the coast.” Jim leaves hiswife, four of his children – daughter Sonia pre- deceased him – eight grand- children and four great-grand children.


Peter Chislett AIR Commodore Peter Joseph Alan Chislett CBE (79) lived in Manor Rise, Bearsted, for 30 years. He enjoyed a hugely dis- tinguished service career and was well known for driving a train on Mote Park’s model railway. The son of a


RoyalMarine, he was born in Chatham to a family from Devon. He began his career with national service before volunteering for officer training in the RAF. He em- barked on a career in radar as a fighter controller, which saw him rise through the ranks to serve as the first ever Air Com- modore in his branch. His postings included service


in Cyprus and a lengthy spell in Belgium serving at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Eu- rope. He also served in Libya, Is- rael, and other overseas postings Peterwas awardedhisCBEfor re- designing the air defence system for the UK with the RAF. On leaving the RAF he re- turned to Belgium, where the electronics giant Siemens head- hunted him for his knowledge and expertise in their industry as NATO director. Married toWendy for 58 years


Peter was father to Andrew, Craig andMelanie.Wendy said: “Peter was a very kind, gentle and hum- ble man and many people have commented on the fact that he was a true gentleman.” Peter’s interests included ge- nealogy, and he traced his family history back to the year 1500 and explored links to relatives in Canada and Australia. He was appointed president of the local model engineering society and served the organisation in Mote Park for many years, driving an engine he built himself, and be- coming a familiar face. Peter leaves his wife, children


and grandchildren; Annabel Thomas and Megan


Bob Pullar ROBERT “Bob” Pullar (83), of Egerton, was a self-taught farrier who had lived and worked lo- cally since his familymoved to a farm in Lenham, from Scotland whenhewas aboy. Bob, the youngest of eight chil-


dren, ran the Noah’s Ark farm in Headcorn. When it was sold in 1984, he lived and worked as a farmer in Lenham with his part- ner Renne. Well-known in the farming community, the couple were more widelyknownfor sell- ing poultry and eggs. Bob died in a road accident on the A274 at Sutton Valence in August.


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