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downsmail.co.uk Con Lewis


THE village of East Farleigh lost its oldest resident with the death of Con Lewis,who celebrated her 100th birthday last spring at her coage home in The Priory. Aproudly independent lady, she will be best remembered as a hairdresser at Prunella’s in Bank Street, Maidstone, until she retired at 65. Alifelong resident of theMaidstone area, she had many memories of her early yearswhen she lived in the family home at


GibraltarHouse by the River Medway in Sandling. She recalled horse-driven barges carrying their cargoes along the banks. She also told stories of local celebrations tomark the end ofWorldWar I.


FelixGlenny


CANCER fundraiser Felix Glenny (23), of Rochester, died in hospital aer being diagnosed with the terminal illness. The father of two had married Cola, themother of his children, in hospital. The publicity around his case and the establishment of the Felix Foundation cancer fund has helped raise over £60,000 of a £75,000 target; some of it from donations in and around theMaidstone area. Felix,who used hismiddle name instead of his first name Ryan, leaves his wife and children Ralph and Pearl.


FrankDriscoll


FRANCIS “Frank” Driscoll (82) lived in Loose from 1968. Born in Isleworth,Middlesex, he moved locally to provide beer educational opportunities for his family. Aer national service in the RAF, Frank spent 40 yearsworking for Lloyd’s Bank, starting in Piccadilly before moving to their Lombard Street head office and finishing in Gracechurch Street. Aer retirement from Lloyd’s hewas headhunted by Schroders Bank, where he worked for a few more years. Frankwas married to Jean for 58 years andwas father to Anne and Mary.Anne said: “My father loved music and sang in the choir at Holy Family Church, ParkWood, which he aended for many years. “He also enjoyed reading and loved cats, which he kept throughout his married life.He was the best fatherwe could havewanted, very happy at home and willing to do anything for anyone. Hewas really close to his son-in-law, Nigel and hadmany friends.” Frank leaves his wife, daughters and grandsons Stephen andMichael.


Roy Vinter


ROY Vinter (76), who lived in Ickham, near Canterbury,was president of the Southern Counties East Football League. The former referee moved to Kent in 1971, beginning an involvement with local football that touched the lives ofmany and involved administration, including serving as secretary forWhitstable Town FC. The FootballAssociation honoured his 50 years of service to the game in 2013. Denise Richmond, chair of Southern Counties East


34 Maidstone Town February 2014


Football League, said: “Roywas awell-liked and respected secretary of the league, not just locally but nationally. Hewas a great people person andwas always supportive of clubs, and ensuredwe as a league kept thatmantra. “He guided the league through the many restructures of the national league system over the past decade, andwas a key part in the set- up of Kent Invicta League. His knowledge and influence is a lasting legacy for the league and clubs, and he is already greatlymissed.” Roy leaves his wife of 52 years, Carol, and two children.


Sylvia Cuthbert


SYLVIA Jane Relton Cuthbert (76), of Beaconfield Road,was a foundingmember of Tovil Parish Council in 1987, havingmoved to the area from Yalding. Originally from York, shewas an occupational therapistwhoworked at Oakwood Hospital. Sylvia sat on Tovil Parish Council during three periods during her life, only retiring from her duties when ill health intervened. The council held aminute’s silence in hermemory. Tovil Parish Council chairman, Rev Chris Morgan-Jones, said: “Sylvia did a huge amount for Tovil andwas instrumental in seing up this council…shewas very involved in drawing up the community plan, forwhichwe owe her a great debt.” Sylvia’s friend and fellow parish councillor Suzy Neal said: “Sylviawas a really nice womanwho fought the local corner on a few issues.” Sylviawasmarried to Geoffrey – an architect – andwas mother to four daughters and one son. She leaves her husband, children and grandchildren.


Emma ‘Lou’ Smith


EMMALouisa Smith (known tomany as Lou or Louie), who died at the age of 98 aer a short illness,was one of Bearsted and Thurnham’s last links to aworld unchanged by twoworldwars. Louwas born as Emma Earl in Smart’s Coages, Bearsted, to Charles and Elizabeth Earl. Shewas a local girl, livingwith her family in Roundwell, Yeoman Lane, Spot Lane and Fancy Row. Like many of her


peers, she le the village school towork in service. She laterworked in local agriculture, including Bradleys Farm (where the Landway Estate now stands), but also at Roseacre Laundry andHarnes Nursery. Loumarried Jack Smith at Leeds Church in 1935. Itwas amarriage rooted in a deep love and respect for each other,which lasted until Jack’s sudden death in 1981. By 1939, they had moved toWare Street as Jackwasworking for Rosemount Dairy, owned by the Hodges family. Lou and Jack had two daughters, Janet andAnn. Lou had a lifetime ofmemories and loved her family, other people and conversation. No maerwhat shewas doing, family and people came first, and shewas always available to lend assistance to her daughters and others. Shewas also a keen gardener, growing vegetables and flowers. Lou had a great deal of personal style and although diminutive in stature, she adored hats andwas noted for them. She regularly shared her memories, providing glimpses into aworldwhere the


opening of Bearsted railway stationwas a recent event and going intoMaidstone meant walking along theAshford Road, flanked by fields and hop gardens. Increasing fragility saw Loumoving into Barty House in 2009. She said shewas slightly amazed to be living in what she had always regarded as “one of the big houses of Bearsted”. Lou is survived by her two daughters, two grandchildren and four great- grandchildren. She had already begun to plan the celebrations for her 100th birthday and so her funeral became that celebration.


NanWare NANWare (93) spent most of her life in


Otham. Locally born, she followed a career in nursing and midwifery in London before taking early retirement and returning to Othamtocarefor herparents. During thewar she survived being caught in a V2 blast which blew her bicycle from one end of a street to the other.Her nursing career included time at Park Prewi Hospital where theworld famousArchie McIndoewas


pioneering plastic surgery on disfigured servicemen. She continued to live locally aer her parents died in the 1970s.Nanwaswell known in the local area, from her steady and wide-ranging involvementwith StNicholas’s Church in Otham and themany other community activities with which shewas involved. The Rev David Bond, assistant priest at St Nicholas, said: “Nanwas a selfless and giving person, generouswith her time andmoney. “She had a strong Christian faith and those who knew her will remember her kindness, her sense of humour, and her devotion to people around her, always puing other people before herself. The parish, the local community, andmembers of herwider family will miss her greatly.”


Roy Pepper


ROY Pepper (85), whowas born in Birling, has died in Nova Scotia, Canada. His remarkable career included 33 years of service in submarines for the RoyalNavy and Royal Canadian Navy with an additional 15 years of servicewith SRU Atlantic. He earned awards including being amember of the Order of Military Merit (1978) and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2012). Roy is survived by hiswife of 60 years, Thelma, son Michael and grandsonsAndrew and Christopher.


Nick Lockwood


FATHER-of-two Nick Lockwood (43), of Wateringbury, died in a motorcycle accident on theA249. Heworked at Detling Aerodrome.


The Stone Shop


Memorials. Any natural stone supplied, lettered and installed anywhere.


Inscriptions added to existing memorials


Renovations and memorial cleaning


The Stone Shop Station Hill, East Farleigh, Kent.


01622 726633


Obituaries


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