downsmail.co.uk


“She enjoyed travel and history andwas interested in current affairs. “People will remember her as a helpful


and considerate person. She will also be remembered for her exceptional singing voice, which could fill the house.” Elsie – whowas widowed in 1984 – leaves her son and twin grandsons James and Nick.


MayKember MAY Kember (88) had lived in the same house in Loose since 1962. She had moved to the village a few years earlier with her family, having been born inWest Sussex. May worked on


Pyms Court Farm from 1952 to 2001. She was married to Charlie and died very close to their 65th wedding anniversary. May and Charlie had two daughters,


Shirley and Sharon. Shirley said: “My mother loved socialising and dancing and she and my father oftenwent to the Working Men’s Clubs in Tovil and Boughton Monchelsea.” May leaves her husband, grandchildren


Shane and Miranda and great grandchildren Jamie, Melissa, Brenden and Charlie May. Two grandchildren – Jamie and Nathan – pre-deceased her.


Annie Nelson


ANNIE Nelson (99), of Gavin Astor House, moved to the Maidstone area 25 years ago to be near her daughter Linda. She lived in Kingswood and for three


years in Barming. Born and raised in London, Annie lost her


first husband – an auxiliary fireman – in the war, just six months after they married. Her romance with husband of 65 years, Philip, started when she became his penpal as he served in theArmy in Egypt during thewar. Together they raised children Philip and


Linda. Annie worked as a machinist in a family tailoring business and her husband taught swimming. By the time they moved to the Maidstone area they had retired, although Philip continued to work on people’s gardens. Linda said: “My motherwas happy in this


area. She and my father had friends they met for coffee and to go into town.Mymother liked reading, especially historical novels like those wrien by Catherine Cookson. “Shewas a strong character whowas


always happy to help others. Shewas the last of four siblings in her generation.” Annie leaves her children, and grandchildren Grant, Karen,Amanda and Natalie.


Irena Burgess


IRENA Burgess (92)was the school secretary at St Francis Catholic Primary School in Queens Road, Maidstone, for 21 years. She lived inAylesford with her husband


Ted from 1962, moving to Barming in 2005 following his death. Born Irena Fiszer in Poland, she moved to


Austria with her family in 1941, where she met Ted. The couple lived inAustria before moving to Maidstone. They raised twins, Max and Robin, and daughter Marya. Irenawas a member of Medway Anglo-


Polish Club and the Maidstone Polish Club. Former colleagues paid tribute to her diplomatic skills, which could often diffuse a tense situation. Irena leaves her children, six grandchildren and great-granddaughter Daisy Luiza.


Bob Jennings


ROBERT “Bob” Jennings (94) lived locally for much of his life, aending Maidstone Grammar School before thewar and living with his wife of 52 years, Sylvia, in Fauchons Close, Bearsted, from 1963.


Bob began an engineering career before thewar and served as a dispatch rider and in transport roles, seeing action with the British expeditionary force in France, where hewas the only survivor of an ambush on a


convoy. Hewas evacuated at Dunkirk and spent


the laer part of thewar serving in India and the Far East, where his roles included establishing military transport services. He returned to Maidstone to get married


and began a civil service career that saw him working in the Admiralty and the Department for Environment. Bobwas father to Nigel, who said: “My fatherwas a gentleman in the old sense of the word: hard-working, with a sense of duty to others and impeccable in his manners. “After retirement he worked for local charities including the Royal British Legion in Hollingbourne and the RNLI. The legion provided a presence at his funeral.” Bob, whowas widowed in 2002, leaves a surviving younger brother, his son, grandson Christian and great- granddaughters Eva and Lolly.


Des Jenner


DES Jenner (84) lived at Arnold Court, Back Street, Leeds for 32 years. He moved to the area with his wife Shirley


in 1959, seling originally in Anglesey Avenue, Loose. Des worked for the Pfizer Group but eventually set up his own cosmetics business – North Down Cosmetics – in Harrietsham. The company continues to trade under the name of Kent Cosmetics,


with Des’s son Alan involved in its running. Shirley said: “Deswas always very pleasant to everyone and always had a smile on his face, butwas very determined and would work hard to achieve success in his job. In that regard hewas very thorough. “Deswas very kind to everyone and many of his former employees aended his funeral


because he remained friendly with them and they appreciated his fairness.” Deswas father to Alan, David and Hazel


and – with Shirley –was a prominent member of Bearsted Golf Club. Hewas captain in 1976 and a top playing member, winning many tournaments. Des leaves his wife, children, and grandchildren Samantha, Luke, Danielle, Kyle, Sarah and Jacalyn.


Honor Barre


HONORBarrewaswell known in Lenham – often referred to as “Miss Honor” – from the years she spent running her own nursery school, which opened in the mid 1970s. She had moved to the area after her father


retired and soon developed a deep affection for the surrounding countryside. Before becoming qualified as a Montessori nursery teacher, Honor studied at Maidstone College of Art, where photography had become a specialist interest. Honor ran her school for more than 30


years, based in rooms she rented from the United Reformed Church. Shewas respected for the dedication and creativity she brought to her work. Generations of local children benefited from her care and Honor only moved away when her mother’s ill health led to a relocation in Suffolk. On the death of her mother Honor returned to Lenham where she remained a popular andwell-known figure, who always took pleasure in the news of howwell those who had grown up with her carewere doing. The Lenham parish magazine noted: “This remarkable lady certainly left a legacy with so many, here in Lenham and beyond.”


Len Laker


LEONARD “Len” Laker (86), of Ringlestone, was known for his years of work as a baker and breadmaker, and particularly for his special cakess. Len spent most of his life in Ringlestone,


living in the same house in Calder Road from 1932 to 1995. He then moved to another property in the same area. He served in the


Army from 1946 to 1948, training as a cook, and then worked locally for a number of employers including Reeds and Marley. Len married Kathleen in 1952 and


the couple raised daughter Sandra. The family moved toAustralia in 1965, but returned when Kathleen became seriously ill. She died on the aircraft bringing them home in 1968. Jeanee said: “My grandfather got on with


everybody. He lovedwalking his dog and aended the Methodist Church on Union Street. He recovered from a hit-and-run accident in 1999 and always kept his gentle manner.” Len leaves his daughter, grandchildren Jeannee, Jenniffer, Peter and Paul, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.


There is no charge for our obituary service. Call Neil Nixon on 01622 630422 or email nlnxn@aol.com Maidstone Town March 2015


47


Obituaries


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