Gwen Henthorne GWEN Henthorne (81) lived in Mallings Drive, Bearsted for over 50 years. Born locally as Gwen Ranger,


her former homes included Coxheath andMaidstone. Gwen worked as a shorthand


typist for KCC in the depart- ment dealing with forestry, and met her husband Geoff, who worked there as a chartered surveyor and valuer. The couple were married for


18 years and had daughter Stephanie. Gwen became a full-time mother butwas widowedwhen Stephanie was a little girl, and returned to work as a dinner lady at Thurnham School, a job she held for over 20 years. Stephanie Henthorne said:


“My mother was peaceful, ac- cepting, and modest. She was very caring and a lot of people held her dear. “In her retirement she went regularly to aquacise sessions at the Tudor Park Hotel and be- came one of a group of friends who dubbed themselves the aquababes.” Gwen leaves her daughter.


Sheila Rowe BEARSTED’S Sheila Rowe (67) was a noted academic and widely known locally as the wife of Mid Kent MP Andrew Rowe, who represented theseatfrom 1983 to 1997. With her husband she lived locally from 1983 in Bearsted, leaving the village to live in Sutton Va- lence and Detling, but return- ing to Bearsted after both moves. Born Sheila Finkle in Sun- derland, she enjoyed a high- profile academic career and had daughters Louise and Kathrynwith her first husband, HansjrgWirz. Sheila’s academic career was conducted mainly under the name of Sheila Wirz; she held an emeritus professorship of disability studies at the Institute


We will remember


of Child Health, associated with University College London, and was a recognised expert on dis- ability education and commu- nity disability services. Previous posts included di-


rector of teaching and learning at the Institute of Child Health until December 2007. Sheila chaired the management com- mittee, overseeing short courses and supervised PhD research in her area of expertise. Widowed in 2008, Sheila leaves her daughters and step- son, Nicholas Rowe.


Rev Malcolm Perkins THE Rev Malcolm Perkins (92) lived in Laddingford for 25 years, retiring there after a life- long career in ministry. He had served the parish


of


Yalding for many years, having been rector and vicar of sev-


eral Kent parishes , including Rainham, Bexley, Borstal, Strood andWouldham. He spent 17 years as chaplain


at Bexley and Medway Towns hospitals before becoming staff padre for the charity organisa- tion, Toc H. Malcolm trained for ministry during the war, and attended Cambridge University to study theology before going to Oxford to train for holy orders. His marriage to Joan produced one son, Andrew. A friend said: “Malcolm had


a good sense of humour and was a thoroughly decent man. His commitment to the church was massive, and he was the kind of priest who believed pas- sionately in the value of pas- toral work. “Hewas the youngest child of


a factory-owning family and was offered the chance to fol- low in that business, but the church was his calling.” Malcolm moved to Ladding-


ford with his wife in June 1985 - but he never really stopped


working. He always said the thing that


'made him tick' was a basic love of people. His Christianity led him to care about and love to help anyone who was in need. Widowed 10 years ago, Mal-


colm recorded his life in an au- tobiography entitled 'Sticking to it.' He is survived by his son.


Florence Clark FLORENCE “Flo” Violet May Clark (83) lived in Barming for the final 40 years of her life. Born Florence Wigman in Maidstone, she lived locally her whole life apart from a few years in Burham. Educated at West Borough School, Flo worked at Smed- ley’s cannery plant in Her- mitage Lane. She wasmother to Mick, Jackie, and Jenny and, once her childrenwere growing up, she returned to work on local farms, including May’s of Hermitage Lane. She knew that farm well, as


her father had been a stilt man there, working with hops. Flo also did shop work. Flo leaves her children, grandchildren Kevin, Mark, Shaun, Sarah and Nicola and great-granddaughter Lily.


Judy Porter JUDY Porter (70) lived in Grafty Green for over 25 years and had lived locally for over 40 years. Originally


from outer London, she commuted for a number of years while working for a Russian ship- ping company in London be- fore joining her partner, Les, to run a small farm. One of Judy’s many friends,


Joan Drury, said: “Judy loved animals, among other things she and Les kept horses, dogs and sheep. “She worked incredibly hard


and would deliver things, han- dle bales of straw and still find time to be involved with a


number of clubs. She wor- shipped at St Nicholas’ Church in Boughton Malherbe. She was confirmed in one of the benefice churches last year. She was well known locally, was willing to help anyone and was an enthusiastic washer-up. “Judy and her parents had al-


ways taken part in amateur dramatics in her younger days. At the end of last year she joined Ulcombe Dramatic Am- ateur Club and returned to the stage in their recent produc- tion, “Sshh, Don’tMention the War”. She enjoyed this im- mensely.” Judy, who lost her partner a


few years ago, leaves her many friends in the area.


Joyce Chown JOYCE Chown (97), who has died in Clevedon, Northum- berland, lived in Willington Street, Maidstone, from 1947 to 1980 and Roseacre Lane, Bearsted until 1990. Born Joyce Fullager in Folkestone, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and met husband Angus at a dance at Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone. They mar- ried in 1938. During the war, Joyce raised children Christabel, Robert, and Sarah in Northampton, Angus’s home town. Locally, Angus worked as a town plan- ner for KCC and Joyce ap- peared in plays for the Deanery Players. Joyce, who was widowed in


2004, leaves her children, seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.


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