downsmail.co.uk Graham Hockney


GRAHAM Victor Hockney (67) died suddenly in hospital. He spent most of his life in and around


the Maidstone area, and aended Senacre School. In his early working life he worked in the old Primrose & Len Dairy on the corner of Romney Place. Hewas beer known by many as a bus driver with Maidstone Borough Bus Corporation


and laerly as a porter and manager at the old Opthalmic hospital in Marsham Street, where he always had a cheery quip and a smile for all whose paths he crossed. He enjoyed aending steam rallies and


loved animals and the countryside. In the last decade of his life he retired to the countryside with his wife, enjoying the wide open spaces and his menagerie of dogs, ducks, a goat, hens, birds and fish. Sister-in-law Kathy said: “Hewas a very


quiet man who listened more than he talked, but he had awarmth and an optimism about him, even when he had persistent bouts of ill health.” Graham leaves his wife Theresa, sons Darren and Tyler, daughter Tandy, grandchildren, and his two sisters.


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.


Nora Tolhurst


BEARSTED’S Nora Tolhurstwas born in 1921.


Raised in Langley, she began working


locally before training as a nursery nurse at the age of 14, in Baersea. She funded her training through earnings from sewing and


38 Maidstone East July 2014


kniing, establishing a life-long paern of disciplinedworking and pushing herself to achieve. DuringWorldWar II she looked aer 100


evacuated children in Sussex before returning to London and becoming involved in paediatric nursing. She lacked the academic qualifications to train for state registered nurse (SRN) validation, but was able to gain a place on the condition she didn’t fall behind academically. She succeeded and enjoyed a demanding


career, including posts at Kings College Hospital, and as a district midwife. At one point her duties included caring for former prisoners ofwar who had been held by the Japanese. In 1959 Nora moved to Bearsted to care


for her parents and an uncle, aer her mother had suffered a stroke. She moved to 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 close to his four grandchildren: Lee, Viki, Simon and Melanie. He also had two great grandchildren: Sophie andWilliam.


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 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, John worked at the Crown Court as a security officer. Johnwas married to Kathy for 61 years,


and they had a son Richard and daughter Karen, who 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.


Leonard Hoare


LEONARD “Len” Hoare (90), who died at the Mont Calm care home in Bower Mount Road, lived inWest Malling, Maidstone and Senacre.


Agenuinewar


hero, Len survived being torpedoed on a ship, finding hisway through a minefield at night, being on a plane that was shot down and malaria. Len’swork included many years with E Baldock and


Sons ofWest Malling. Hewas so impressive in his job at the firm that hewas allowed to run its TunbridgeWells shop from the age of 16 and – having gone to work at Goldwell’s drinks factory inWest Malling aer thewar –was offered a new position with Baldocks in 1947. Heworked for the firm until his retirement – including time spent living with his family in a flat over its Maidstone shop. Aer retirement Len returned to the firm in a part-time position, finally leaving when hewas 74. Lenwas married to Violet for 61 years


andwas father to Valerie, who said: “My fatherwas very kind and generous and would help anyone; several of my friends have said hewas like a father to them as well.” Len, who lost his wife in 2008, leaves his daughter and grandchildren Laura and Sean.


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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