downsmail.co.uk Stewart Brown


STEWART Brown (78) lived in the Square Hill area of Maidstone for 32 years and before that in YeomanWay, Bearsted. Born and raised in Staplehurst, Stewart worked for Mid-KentWater andwas involved for a long time with local Scouting. He retired from Mid-KentWater when


the organisation changed and South East Water became the company covering the area.


Stewartwas married to Margaret for 49


years and the couple would have celebrated their goldenwedding in September. They raised sons David and Jonathan. Margaret said: “Stewartwas very supportive ofme and our sons in the local Scouting movement and helped in every way he could.At the two serviceswe held, more than 200 people turned up. “Just over 19 years ago, Stewart received a


Pride of MaidstoneAward from Cllr Morel D'Souza for his services to Scouting.” Stewart leaves his wife, sons, daughter-in-


law Erika and grandchildren Joseph and Anneka.


JackieAtkinson


JACQUELINE “Jackie”Atkinson (80) lived with husband David in Barming for 52 years. Born Jacqueline Collins and raised in Marden, Jackie worked forAtcost in Paddock Wood as a receptionist and telephonist for a number of years. She met David through his brother, who also worked atAtcost, and the couple raised children Carole and Penny. Jackie did temping work as the


children grew up. David said: “Jackiewas a happy and hard- working person, a dedicated mother and someone who loved her family.We enjoyed music andwent to all kinds of performances, including classical music and popular stars like James Last and Guy Mitchell. “Jackie used to communicate with Roy


Hudd and he would make a point of telling us when hewas performing in our area.” Jackie leaves her husband, daughters, grandchildren Kate andAdam and great- grandchildren Oakley, Laken, Jax and Primrose.


Doreen Frost


DOREEN Frost (64) lived the final 20 years of her life in Coxheath and had lived in the local area all her life. Born Doreen Funnel, in Charing, she


moved to Yalding as a very young girl and later lived in Nelestead. Doreen’s working life included time spent working in a shoe shop in Maidstone and about 30 years working for ICI in Yalding, where she started off in the production department before moving on to office work for the company. Doreenwas married for about six years earlier in her life but spent over 20 years


with partner Ted Homewood. Ted said: “Apart from our life locally and


all the thingswe did, Doreen’s big passion was travelling. She had been to many places andwe had cruised and flown all over the world; as far away asAustralia and to exotic places including Bali, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands and the Far East. Amongst her favourite tripswas a visit to Bora Bora. “Doreen very much believed lifewas for


living and she really enjoyed a lot of what she did.” Doreen leaves her partner and her sister Freda and brother Tony.


Susie Hoare HOLLINGBOURNE’S Susan “Susie” Hoare, who lived in Hadley Gardens,was known for her involvement in village life. She worshipped regularly at All Saints'


Parish Church andwas the sister of the Reverend Robin Gill; a local clergyman who is currently a member of the team working in the Leeds and Hollingbourne Benefice and whowas at one point the Priest in Charge. Susie’s funeral took place at Saint Margaret’s Church, Hucking.Achurch bar- becue which had been scheduled for the same daywas cancelled as a mark of respect.


Douglas Grist


DOUGLAS “Doug” Grist (86) lived the final years of his life in Siingbourne but had lived in the Maidstone and Medway areas since hewas a small boy. Born in Bexhill to parents from Rainham in Kent, he returned locally and remained in the area apart from a spell on national service with the RAF in Norfolk. Doug’s local homes included Ringlestone, Langley, Suon Va- lence, and Bearsted. Hewas known lo-


cally from his years running the family busi- ness EHGrist and Sons, a wholesale fruit and vegetable business based in Hedley Street near Maidstone Prison. Doug and his brother took the business over from their fa- ther. When it closed Doug worked for Tre- bor Sharps in Maidstone. Dougwas married twice. He and first wife


June had children Lesley, Judith and Martin and with second wife Dee he had children Tracy and Stuart. Judith said: “My father loved the outdoors and could take pleasure in a lot of life’s simple things. “When he retired he bought land near Ul-


combe and grew plum trees and Christmas trees, aswell as keeping sheep and chickens and puing polytunnels on the land to grow things. “He sold his produce at market in Ashford


and kept this business going for 15 years. He also toured the south east of England and Wales in a camper vanwithmy stepmother. He even took her to the place inWales where hewas evacuated as a boy. “In later years they had a permanent cara-


van at a site in Dorset and spent their sum- mers there.”


Doug leaves his wife, four children – daughter Lesley died in 2011 – 10 grandchil- dren and three great-grandchildren.


Julie May Hughes


THE death has been announced of Julie May Hughes (57) who worked locally in Marks and Spencer and, more recently, as landlady of TheWindmill pub in Burham. Julie leaves her partner Mike, sons Simon


and Ben, her brother Chris, her sister Lesley and other members of her extended family. Aservice celebrating her lifewas held at Charing Crematorium onAugust 18.


Ian Hodgson


TRIBUTES have been paid to a father-of-two Ian Hodgson, who died when he lost control of his motorbike on the A228 between Pad- dock Wood and East Peckham. Son Chris posted a photograph of a Ducati motorbike on Facebook, in tribute to his father. Amongst those paying tribute was DonnaWilliams, who posted: “My most sincere condo- lences to the whole family, God bless x”


Ian leaves his wife Tracy and sons Chris and Stephen.


David Sladden DAVIDWilliam Charles Sladden (58) lived in Bearsted for around 20 years and lived locally throughout his life. Born in Suon Valence and raised in Hollingbourne, David aended Swadelands School and began work with his father- in-law as a mechanic. His passion for cars remained with him throughout his life. Married for 35


years to Julie, David was father to Katie


and Grace. Katie said: “Our father’s passion for carswas a massive part of his life and he owned a number of vintage and classic cars; he loved aending and taking us to car shows. “Our fatherwas outgoing, really sociable


and the kind of person who is loved by everyone.” David leaves his wife, daughters, grand- son Jack and sisters Rosemary and Patricia.


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 There is no charge for our obituary service. Call Neil Nixon on 01622 630422 or email nlnxn@aol.com 34 Maidstone East September 2016


Obituaries


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