downsmail.co.uk Geoff Miles


GEOFFREY “Geoff” Miles (86) lived in Staplehurst for 53 years. Originally from London, Geoff moved locally with wife of 40 years Mary, and the couplewere the first to move into a new estate in Staplehurst. They raised daughters Heather and Jacquie and Geoff commuted from Staplehurst to his job in the City of Lon- don until hewas in his fifties.


Daughter Jacquie said: “My father loved gardening and won local awards for his achievements. Hewas reliable, ingenious and


caring, and loved fishing in the local area. His nickname in the Kings Head pubwas Uncle Albert and he looked distinctively like the television character, so much so thatwe grafted a picture of his head onto a picture of the character whenwe celebrated his 80th birthday. Many people locally knew him from seeing himwalking his dog, Cassie.” Widowed in 1990, Geoff leaves his daugh-


ters, grandchildren Helen and Owen and great-grandchildren Charlie and Lottie. An- other great-grandchild is expected.


Peter Holmes


HEADCORN’s Peter Holmes had lived in the village with wife Margaret since 1968, moving locally after a career in public service that saw him working for the Board of Trade in Hong Kong and Brisbane, Australia. Hehad opted for this area of work in favour


of taking up a place at Cambridge University. Peter and Margaret raised three children lo-


cally and Peter was noted for his strong in- volvement in the local church, including singing in the choir. He had also formed part of cathedral choirs in Hong Kong and Bris- bane. Friends and family have spoken warmly of his commitment to public service and the Christian faith. Peter leaves his wife, children and eight grandchildren.


Peter Lennard


PETER Lennard (97), of Coxheath,was thought to be the last member of the Tobruk campaign of WorldWar Two. A Coxheath resident for more than 30


years, Peter moved to a care home in his final years. His former homes included Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where he ran a tobacco farm. Married to Joan from 1944 to 2009, Peter also ran his own catering business and wrote an as yet unpublished book – A Ter- rier’s Tale – chronicling his wartime experi- ences. Peter has been described as a man of action


by one of his sons, andwas decorated during the war, rising to serve as a captain in the Royal Artillery. He once joked that his first visit to Normandywas in a tank, after which he returned many years later on a mobility scooter. He switched on the Coxheath Christ- mas lights one year. Peter leaves his sons Pat and Clive, daugh-


ter Sue, nine grandchildren and five great- grandchildren.


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 andwent 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 like Andy 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.


Dick Judd


RICHARD “Dick” Judd (63), of Holtye Crescent, Maidstone was well known from 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.


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);


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


30 Maidstone South May 2015 Di Ferguson


DIANA “Di” Ferguson of Headcorn was de- scribed by husband Roger as “always looking forward and caring for her family”. Born inWatford in 1920, Di suffered with rheumatoid problems throughout her life, starting with Still’s Disease, which necessitated being in a plaster cast for a number of years as a child. Her young dreams of following an acting


career led her to study drama and elocution at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but thewar intervened and she helped her father, working as technical secretary at Watford and St Albans Gas Company. She met her husband in 1944 and the


couple raised children Stuart, James and Anne. Their homes before Headcorn included 18 years spent happily in Devon. As Roger worked at Devon’s County College of Agriculture near Bicton, Di hosted a number of charity functions there, raising money for the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council. Di leaves her husband, children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.


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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.” Vera, whowas widowed, leaves Rodney


and Gwyneth, grandchildren Susan, Robert, Nicola and Maxine, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.


Tony Bainbridge


TONY Bainbridge (37) died after suffering from Crohn’s disease. The American footballer had featured for


two years as a defensive linesman for Maidstone Pumas, and won the award for player of the season in 2005. Tony also played and coached across the South East. Tributes praised Tony’s qualities on and


off the pitch, with many in the close-knit Britball community saying they would miss him. Tony’s funeralwas held in Bexley, where his final involvement in the game had seen him working as manager for Kent Exiles. Tony leaves his partner Amanda and teenage daughter, Izzy.


Obituaries


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