downsmail.co.uk May Bayley


MAYGwendoline Bayley (72), who lived in Willington Street, Maidstone, and previously in Darenth Close, Shepway, spent her whole life living in the Maidstone area. Born May Brotherwood in Brunswick


Street, she worked for the Fremlin Brewery in its boling plant and later for Graves as a packer of wine boles. She and husband Frank had two sets of twins: Maggie and Susan, and Caroline and Sharon. Her brother Les said: “May got onwell with everyone, worked hard andwas a very loving person.” May, whowas widowed, leaves her four children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.


“Spike” Collins


MAIDSTONE Model Engineering Society (MMES) devoted the money it collected by running trains in Mote Park on Easter Sunday to the memory of Arthur Patrick “Spike” Collins (78). It raised more than £400 for the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance. Spikewas an engineer who served 13 years in the RAF, taking postings from all across the world. Born in Sidcup, he


seled in Maidstone with wife Sandie (who


he married in 1970) and their twin daughters. Spike joinedMMESin June 2012, running his own engine andwas familiar to the many people who turned up for the public running rides on Sundays. Sue Parham, of MMES, said in the society’s obituary: “To his daughters hewas ‘Daddy, fix it?’ He always shared his knowledge and skills, teaching his daughters practical things as they grew, including car repairs. Hewas sociable and loved steam rallies and had a lile boat on the River Medway.” Spike’s funeralwas a typically informal


affair. He leaves his wife, daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, with a third great-grandchild due in July.


Iris Bule


IRIS Bule (85) lived in Eccles for 31 years, moving locally on retirement to be near her daughter Barbara. Born Iris Morris in Stockwell, south London, at the age of 17 she became the youngest supervisor at Marks&Spencer and went on to assist her husband Jim, who worked as a schoolkeeper in Islington. Iris worked in a school in the borough for many years, and raised children Barbara and Terry.


Jim Bule said: “Iriswas a great darts


player who competed for her British Legion branch, she loved football – following Chelsea – and lovedwatching tennis, especially players she supported likeAndy Murray and Roger Federer. “After moving to Maidstone Iris loved playing bingo, going to the Star Bingo at the boom of Gabriels Hill. Shewas very caring, and a loving mother whowas full of spirit.” Iris leaves her husband – to whom shewas married for 66 years – son Terry (daughter Barbara pre-deceased her), grandchildren Neil, Daniel and Kirstie and great- grandchildren Logan, Lauren and Hayden.


Vera Rose


VERA Florence Mary Rose (92) lived in Hackney Road, Fant from 2006, and had worked locally as a young woman. Born Vera Hall in Strood, she worked in Featherstone’s department store in Earl Street, Maidstone, where she saw an advert for a manageress for the ladiesware department at Kingsway Stores (Unilever) in Lagos, Nigeria. Vera got the job, and also had work in Accra, Ghana and Freetown, Sierra


Leone. In Lagos she met Arthur Rose (a chief inspector with the Nigerian Railway Police); the couple married in Accra in 1961. When they returned to the UK, Vera became a teacher in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire before seling in Northamptonshire and working as a chef for the Barclays group. Verawas mother to Rodney, who said:


“My motherwas a forthright person and a great organiser. Shewas involved in gardening and her local horticultural society and also chaired her local WI. “During thewar shewas seconded to the


US Rangers and moved with them as they fought theirway across Europe. “Shewas very close to her daughter-in-law Gywneth, who looked after her in her final illness.” Verawas widowed at the end of the last century but still lived independently. She leaves Rodney and Gwyneth, grandchildren Susan, Robert, Nicola and Maxine, 10 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.


Norman King


THE funeral took place of Norman King of Bearsted who died at Barty House nursing


home in Bearsted. Normanwaswell known locally for the many years he spent guiding walks in the area as thewalk-leader for the Bearsted and Thurnham Society’s footpath group.


Dick Judd


RICHARD “Dick” Judd (63), of Holtye Crescent, Maidstonewaswellknownfrom his years of drumming with the band Edison Lighthouse.


He died two days


after a fundraising event in his honour, organised after motor neurone disease had robbed him of his ability to perform. About 50 people took part in the golf event at the Tudor Park Hotel, raising £7,000.


There are plans to make this an annual event in Dick’s memory. Dick leaves his wife Jane, children Russell and Kerry and four grandchildren.


Sylvia Snelling SYLVIA Jean Snelling (77), who lived for 23 years in Wateringbury and before that in Maidstone for 30 years,was born and grew up in Aylesford. She studied at Aylesford Pri- mary and Maidstone Technical School for Girls. Sylvia met her husband Mick in 1955, marrying in 1958 in a service that made national headlines because Sylvia had to ring theWar Office to get Mick home on leave, arriving only two hours before thewedding. The couple seled in Ashford, raising children Beverley and Trevor. Son Markwas born locally. Mick said: “Sylvia’s prioritywas her family, of which shewas the lynchpin. She was a fastidious homemaker. “She will be sorely missed. Donations at


her funeral on May 18 at Vinters Park Crematorium will go to the Heart of Kent Hospice.” Sylvia leaves her husband, children, two grandchildren, two step grandchildren and one great grandson.


Arthur Mahews


ARTHUR Mahews (85) lived on the Ashford Road and before that in Tovil and Courtenay Road, Maidstone. He spent most of his career working for


KCC andwas father to Trudy and Graham. Trudy said: “My fatherwas sociable and knew everyone around town. He had lots of friends who will miss him.” Arthur leaves his children.


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Obituaries


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