David Rose DAVID Frederick Rose (62) lived locally until 25 years ago when he moved to St Ives, Cam- bridgeshire. Raised in


Tovil, he eventually moved to Coxheath. His work in the local area included employ- ment as a typesetter for the Kent Messenger Group. With wife, Paula, David raised chil- dren Katy and Paul. In 1988 the family moved to Cambridgeshire where David continued working in typeset- ting before becoming a taxi driver, a trade in which he was still working at the time of his death.


Daughter Katy Gilbert said:


“My father's real passion was nature, he loved feeding the birds in his garden and going for long bike rides in the coun- tryside. He also liked golf and followed Chelsea. “He loved watching sports on television andwas very good at picking winners when he bet on horses. He was the least ma- terialistic person you could meet. The thing that made him happiest was seeing his chil- dren happy and being with his granddaughter.” David leaves his children, granddaughter Lucy and has another grandchild expected in October.


Chris Austin CHRIS Austin (38), who had lived in Chatham and Rochester for 20 years, was well known throughout theareaas singer and guitarist with the acoustic band Tape Error.


Nicknamed “Afro Chris” be-


cause of his hairstyle, he had just signed a record deal that had resulted in the release of the band’s first EP. After feeling ill, Chris was diagnosed with liver cancer. He chose to leave hospital and spend his final


We will remember


hours with family and friends, but died the following day. A tribute page – including


Chris’s music – has been estab- lished


at


cloud.com/chris-austin-rip. Chris leaves his mother Bev, brother Tom and sister Theresa.


Lewis Langford STRUCTURAL engineer Lewis Langford (91), of Roman Heights, Foley Park, Maid- stone, was known locally as co-founder of Evans and Langford, of King Street, Maidstone. Born, the


son of a miner, in Rawmarsh, Yorkshire, Lewis started his en- gineering training after the war, moving to Stafford and Rye, be- fore settling in Maidstone where he set up his firm. Lewis met co-founder Jack


Evans when the pair worked for Mears Brothers, with Jack serv- ing as director and Lewis as chief engineer. Their company was originally located on the Tonbridge Road and moved to its present King Street location in 1969. Lewis worked for the firm until retirement in 1987. A member of Bearsted Golf


Club from 1969, Lewis served as architect on its first major clubhouse, which was demol- ished to make room for the present building. John Evans, son of co-founder


Jack, said: “Lewis was a very fine structural engineer who had an exceptional skill with engineering design andworked to establish the standard that Evans and Langford have main- tained for 50 years.” Married for almost 59 years to


Ruby, Lewis is father to Chris- tine. Christine Langford said: “My father was a quiet man who enjoyed his golf, holidays in the Yorkshire Dales and a pint of beer. Hewas hard work- ing and immensely proud of the company that he and Jack founded. Above all he was a de- voted husband and a wonderful


sound-


father.” Widowed in 2009, Lewis leaves his daughter.


Mike Williams MICHAEL “Mike” Williams (66), who has died in Buxton, Derbyshire, lived locally until his mid-20s. Born in Wheeler Street,Maid-


stone, and formerly a pupil at Maidstone Technical School, Mike worked locally in forestry and as a signalman before tak- ing a job in KCC’s education de- partment. As part of the job he was able


to train at Maidstone College of Art in photography; a skill he used in his job. He eventually moved to Der- byshire towork for the National Parks Authority, and was based in the Peak District. While in Maidstone Mike had also en- joyed notoriety as a lead gui- tarist; performing in a number of well-known local bands in- cluding The Soundcasters, The Web and TheWeb Foundation. In Derbyshire Mike met part-


ner of 36 years, Diane Tranter. The couple raised daughter Kate and Mike branched out into freelance photography; earning a national reputation for the quality of his work and contributing photographs to guidebooks, books, brochures and many other publications. Mike’s company – Peak Pic-


tures – worked for a range of private and public clients throughout the country. Diane said: “Mikewas an out-


doors person who loved walk- ing, skiing and cycling. The tributes have been overwhelm- ing; he had so many friends and was so well thought of. “He was lucky to be able to combine the things he loved with his work. Mike was cre- ative, funny and very gentle.” Mike leaves Diane and Kate.


Rev Gordon Marsh THE Rev Gordon Marsh (87), who has died in Tenterden, lived and worked in Maidstone from 1963 until retiring in 1985. He spent part of his boyhood


in Loose, and returned there to live with Jean, his wife of 59 years, after he had served in the


Serving the local community since 1985


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Navy during the war. Gordon rose through the


ranks at KCC, serving as a counter clerk. He was father to Simon and Richard, tragically losing his younger son in an accident on HMS Hermes just prior to the FalklandsWar. On retirement in 1985, Gor-


don followed a personal calling to take holy orders. He had served for many years at All Saints’ Church, Maidstone, in a range of roles including lay reader and sidesman. He be- came a minister and – while living in Romney Marsh – served in a peripatetic role. Jean said: “Gordon loved to


walk in the country and was a very giving person. Our eldest son put in the funeral address that his real vocation lay within the church.” Gordon leaves hiswife, eldest


son and grandchildren Claire, Jonathan and Katharine.


Sylvia Howard SYLVIA Howard (80), who has died in Norfolk, lived in Bax- ter’s Cottage, Bearsted, for about 20 years. She moved locally with husband of around 40 years Alf, a commercial artist. The couple had formerly lived in London and Meopham, where they had a smallholding. Prior to working on their smallholding Sylvia had spent some time working as a hair- dresser. Sylvia and Alf were both


noted bowlers and joined the Bearsted and Thurnham Bowls Club shortly after it opened. Sylvia’s good friends and fel- low bowlers Antony and Gwen- doline Hayman said: “Sylvia and Alf were both very good bowlers. Sylvia won the ladies championship at the club sev- eral times and competed at county level, she also served as ladies captain. “She was a really lovely lady


of immense character and liked by everybody. Politeness and manners mattered a lot to her.” Sylvia and Alf moved to Nor-


folk to be near their daughters, but he died soon afterwards. Sylvia leaves her daughters Beverly and Lesley; another daughter; Jo, pre-deceased her. She also leaves grandchildren James, Fred and Daisy.


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