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downsmail.co.uk DorothyHaley


DOROTHY Haley (91)was known for her years as head teacher at Bower Grove School, in Fant Lane, Maidstone. Dorothy joined Bower Grove in 1979 and left in 1986. Her friend and former colleague Trevor Phipps said: “Shewas devoted to the children at the school andwas a fantastic advocate for pupils with special educational needs. She dedicated her life


to the work at school and spent hours trying to achieve the best for the school and the pupils, which included on occasions disagreements with the authority, which she usually won. “Her assemblieswere fascinating and


always exceptionallywell planned, so the children gained so much from them. “Although slight in stature she had an enormous presence at the school and she expected high standards from everyone from pupils, staff, governors and colleagues. “Dorothy had a vibrant personality. She


was a single lady and a private person who kept in close contact with her family.” On retirement, Dorothy fulfilled a long standing ambition to learn to be a glider pilot and also travelled widely. Trevor said: “There is not a place in the world she has not been to see, as far as I amaware.” Whilst in Maidstone, Dorothywas a member of the Soroptimists and became a very influential member of Delta, Kappa, Gamma (an organisation that promotes professional and personal growth of women educators). She gave world-wide talks from America to Europe about special education. Dorothy maintained contact with Bower


Grove, aending fetes and Christmas Fairs. Trevor – who succeeded Dorothy as head teacher – said: “Dorothywas a great personality who led such an interesting life. You could not help but be mesmerised by her stories and adventures.” Dorothy leaves members of her extended


family and her many friends and colleagues around the world.


Rt Reverend Richard Third


THE Right Reverend Richard Third (89) served as Bishop of Maidstone from 1976 to 1980. He had a lengthy career within the Church of England that also saw him serve as vicar


of Sheerness from 1959 to 1967 and vicar of Orpington. Known to many as “Dick”, the married


father of two retired to Somerset but worked within the diocese of Bath andWells, where he ministered as an assistant bishop. The Diocese of Canterbury praised the Rt


Rev Third as a man who “although small of stature had a big heart” and noted the “care and sensitivity” that marked his ministry. Among his many church roles, he served


as chaplain to the Queen Mother in her role as LordWarden of the Cinque Ports. It has been reported that when he told the Queen Mother of his intention to stand down from this role she told him that if she could continue working at her age, then so could he. After this, Rt Rev Third did decide to continue. Hewas an alumnus of Cambridge


University and Lincoln Theological College and a former cox of the Cambridge Rowing Team. His funeral took place in Edinburgh.


Bre Baker


DOWNSWOOD’s Bre Baker (33)was known and liked by many in the local area. His father announced his death on Bre’s Facebook page, saying that he passed away with his family by his side. He thanked Bre’s many friends for their kind thoughts and wishes. Bre’s Facebook


page had chronicled events in the course of his bale with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC); a


chronic and incurable liver condition that can be treated but – in cases like Bre’s – necessitates a transplant. Bre had high priority as the potential recipient of a new liver and on April 25 he told Facebook friends: “it could happen in the next couple of months.... forever the optimist.”


Hilda Brown


HILDA Daisy Brown (102), who has died at Pine Lodge Care Home in Siingbourne, lived in the area her whole life. She spent 27 years living in Egremont


Road, Bearsted, and before that lived in in Detling and Siingbourne. Born Hilda Costen in Burham, she started


work at the Foster Clark factory in Maidstone and married local farmer and contractor Maurice Richard “Dick” Brown.


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Hildawas mother to Barry, Valerie and Anthony. Valerie said: “My motherwas capable, confident and very very caring; the kind of person who would do anything for anyone. Shewas known locally as a character and as someone who worked very hard. “She did all the


things a farmer’s wife would do. Whenwe lived at the top of Detling Hill, she would skin rabbits and make her own buer. Aswe children


grew up shewas bored andwent to work at Trebor Sharps in Maidstone. “She retired at the age of 60, but by the age


of 67 he began cooking for about 50 people for Age Concern and continued doing that for 21 years, making her own pies and not buying in things she could make beer herself. She remained sprightly and independent into her 103rd year.” Hilda – whowas widowed in 1993 –


leaves her children, six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great- grandchildren.


Harry ‘Obie’ Makepeace


THE funeral of Harry “Obie” Makepeace (58), of Courtenay Road, Maidstone made local news.


Horse-drawn carriages and a refuse lorry adorned with flowers joined the procession to St Martin’s Church in Shepway in tribute to the refuse collector who had worked in Maidstone for 42 years. Harry began work for Maidstone Council


aged 16 and continued in refuse collection when Biffa took over some years later. His rounds started in Tovil, but over the years he collected bins in an area encompassing Nelestead, Coxheath, Yalding and Marden. Harrywas known as a fundraiser for the


Air Ambulance Trust, regularly raising sums of £1,000.At Christmas, he would dress as Father Christmas and stand by his groo collecting cash and giving out sweets. He was especially motivated to help the charity after the air ambulancewas summoned to the premature birth of his granddaughter Bethany.


Originally from London, Harry moved to Maidstone as a teenager andwas stuck with the nickname Obie, whichwas coined by his brother. Harrywas married to his childhood


sweetheart Linda. He leaves his wife, four brothers, two sisters, six sons, seven grandchildren, four step-grandchildren and a great grandson.


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Obituaries


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