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a house with no electricity and alsoworked part-time at St Faith’s home for unmarried mothers. Aer the death of her parents, Nora finished her career at theWest Kent Hospital, where she became a nursing sister andwas noted for the standards of discipline and aention to detail she brought to herwork.


MalcolmMitchell


MALCOLM Mitchell (80) lived in the Maidstone area his whole life. He lived in Loose for the past 30 years andwas born and started married life in Tovil. Educated initially


in Dion, Malcolm’s parents ran a post office on Whitmore Street, Maidstone. Hewent to the Commercial School in Maidstone and then into the local building trade, starting with Charles


Walter and Halls.With wife Beatrice he raised daughters Alison and Shirley. Unfortunately Alison, also a Loose resident, died in 2004. He played cricket for Leeds and Broomfield, and Godlands andwas involved for many years with Kent & Maidstone Football Referees Association. He also served a year as Cranbrook Golf Club Veterans section captain. Malcolm was widowed and aer he had a stroke in 2002, he took up playing bowls at Loose Bowls Club. He had been in poor health for some


time before his death. Malcolmwas really close to his four grandchildren: Lee, Viki, Simon and Melanie. He also had two great grandchildren: Sophie andWilliam.


Eric Hubbard


ERIC Hubbard (86) lived on the Senacre Estate for 27 years. Born in Chartham, his police career brought him to Maidstone, where he worked at County Police Headquarters as a driving instructor. He served briefly


as a local constable in Penshurst before coming to Maidstone. Aer 27 years in the police, Eric finished his


career as a ratings officer for Maidstone Council. Ericwas married for more than 45 years


to Doreen, who died 11 years ago. Hewas father to Michael and Amanda. Michael said: “My fatherwaswell- known locally and had been a keen and successful bowler for years, playing at the Mote, Heather House and Suon Valence. He kept bowling until the end of his life, andwas also regularly out and about walking his dog. Hewas a colourful character who certainly had his own opinions.” Widowed 11 years ago, Eric shared his


love of dogs, bowling, and socialising with his friend Shereen. He leaves her, his children, grandchildren Andrew, Lyndsey and Nicola and great-grandson Ryan.


Jean Spendley


JEAN Spendley (87) lived in Bearsted for 50 years. She moved to the area when her husband Oliver, to whom shewas married for 52 years, got a sales job in the area. Itwas a return to a much-loved area for the couple, whowere both originally from Kent but married in Berkshire. Born JeanWenham


and raised near Luton in the Medway Towns, Jeanwas mother to Simon and


Clare. Clare said: “I am so proud that she wasmy mother, I always knew shewas respected locally, and shewas awonderful mother. “She served three terms as president of


the BearstedWomen’s Institute andwas an instigator of the country market held in the WI Hall on Saturday mornings. It’s a fiing tribute to her that those events will continue, that’s certainly what my mother would havewanted. She and my father were also keen supporters of the Holy Cross Church in Bearsted.” Jean also loved yoga and kept dogs for


much of her life, particularly English seers and golden retrievers.Widowed 14 years ago, Jean leaves her children, and grandchildren Jennifer, David, Elizabeth, Oliver and Charlie.


John Frater


JOHN Frater (88) lived in Bearsted for 44 years. Born in Deal, he moved to the area with Kent Police. He lived for two years in the police estate around County Police


Headquarters on the Suon Road before moving to Bearsted with his family. John served mainly with the traffic unit andwas based at police headquarters before moving to Coldharbour. On retirement from 34 years in the police, Johnworked at the Crown Court as a security officer. Johnwas married


to Kathy for 61 years,


and they had a son Richard and daughter Karen. Karen said: “My father loved his large garden and his fish pond. Our home in Bearstedwas renovated with his DIY skills and he took a pride in that kind of work. Hewaswell known andwell-loved in Bearsted, where hewas oen involved in helping out elderly neighbours. He had served as air crew during his national service and with all the different things he had done in his life, he had many tales to tell.


“He and my mother loved travelling


with their caravan, regularly visiting Scotland where his family originated. He was close to all his family and even when hewas in bad health later in life, he could fondly recognise his great-grandson.” John leaves his wife, children, and grandchildren Andrew, Lyndsey, Nicola, Natalie and Charlie, and great-grandson Ryan.


DanielWiltshire


ANNIEWiltshire, who lost her son Daniel (39) to a sudden brain haemorrhage on Mother’s Day, has set up a charitable trust in his memory. The trust aims to raise awareness of the need to be decisive if you are the next of kin of someone carrying a donor card. Daniel – who carried a card – donated organs to others, and Mrs Wiltshire feels fortunate shewas able to tell doctors


that these donationswere her son’s wish. Daniel – who aended TunbridgeWells Grammar School –worked in Harper’s gi and coffee shop in Market Buildings, Maidstone, andwas awell-loved member of the Changeling Theatre Group, which is dedicating a performance of Romeo and Juliet this summer to his memory.


Businesses given relief to fill shops Martin goes for gold


PLANS to fill some of Maid- stone’s empty shops have taken a step forward, with the council bringing in new rules on business rate relief. Businesses moving into


empty shops in the borough will receive an 18-month break on their business rates to help boost business and re- duce the number of empty shops. The Business Rates Reoccu-


pation Relief Scheme gives a 50% discount on business rates for the first 18 months after a business moves into a shop that has been empty for 12 months or more, regardless of what that business is. Cllr Steve McLoughlin, Maidstone’s cabinet member for corporate services, said: “The relief will be a welcome boost for new businesses and our local economy, while fill-


ing our empty shops which is great news for our town and villages.”


Maidstone Council will ad- minister the scheme, with the cost being met by central gov- ernment.


Businesses looking to find


out more about the scheme should go to Maidstone Coun- cil’s website at www.maid- stone.gov.uk or telephone 01622 602230.


MAIDSTONE athlete Martin Brockman is set to represent England in the decathlon at theCommonwealth Games in Glasgow, which begin on July 23. The 27-year-old former Oakwood Park Grammar School student became a full- time athlete at 18, bringing back a bronze medal from theCommonwealthGames in Delhi in 2010. In between training at Brunel University


under the guidance of coach Ian Grant, Martin, whose club is Medway & MAid- stone, is taking a degree in sports science and management at St Mary’s University College, London.


Maidstone Town July 2014 37


Obituaries


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