downsmail.co.uk Alan Cole


ALAN Cole (86)was born and raised in Snodland and lived in the Springfield area of Maidstone for 62 years. His only significant period away from the


area came with national service in the RAF in which he took postings in various locations around England. Alan had a varied


and creative working life. He worked as a cartographer including spells working in the electricity industry


and for Kent County Council and also worked in a number of roles with his musical talents. He taught music, including guitar, in schools and worked for Sharon Music in Maidstone, aswell as managing stores for the company in Canterbury and TunbridgeWells. Alanwas married to June for 62 years


andwas father to Pamand Chris. Pamsaid: “My father was a man of many talents who truly embraced life. He achieved an incredible amount. Hewas involved locally as a Scoutmaster, in church music and performing music. “He also organised quizzes and worked


locally as a magician. He did gardens for local pensioners aswell as tending his own garden and had done a lot of cine filming including footage of British buerflies. “Hewas the chair of his local Active Retirement Fellowship and involved in a local table tennis league. Hewas also enjoyed painting and drawing, including running art classes and cake decorating. Wherever hewent in the local area he met people who knew him.” Alan leaves his wife and children.


Rosemary Dunn


THE death of Rosemary Dunn (77)was reported nationally. As a music teacher she did most of her significant work in east Kent but was a figure of national standing who worked with musicians from all over the county, including many from the local area. In a Guardian obituary, Anstey Spraggan chronicled Rosemary’s roles as an educator and “a life-long champion of the awkward and the underdog” who made every effort to be inclusive in sharing her skills and passion for music. Rosemary Dunn’s PhDwas focused on inclusiveness in the teaching of music. She chaired the Deal festival and raised funds for Revelation Strings and, in the process, he worked with players of classical stringed instruments aswell as forging links with creatives who informed music- making across the county. Rosemary’s career came after strong support from her adoptive parents, and her adoptive father’s role as a staunch trade unionist informed her thinking about in- clusiveness and justice for all. She aended the Birmingham Conservatoire. After her retirement from music teaching in schools, Rosemary established the Sounds New festival in


Canterbury, focusing on new music and the work of contemporary composers. Rosemary’s many achievements included


being a prize-winning poet and a noted gardener. She married Clive Dunn in 1963 and the couplewere parents to Dominic. Rosemary, whowas widowed, leaves her son and granddaughters Jessica and Keira.


Richard Corben RICHARD Corben (77) of High Halden, and formerly of Maidstone, made a major contribution to local life. He ran the Corben construction firm


based on the Tonbridge Road for many years until it ceased trading in the 1990s. The site of his firm has recently been redeveloped as the Corben Yard business park.


Amongst other local roles undertaken by Richard Corbenwas the post of High Sheriff of Kent in 1984. In the Maidstone area, he remained heavily involved in the business community and served as a magistrate. Richard served the Cobtree Charity Trust


as chair for 23 years, standing down late in 2015 due to ill-health. Hewas married to Roseanne and father


to Josephine, Caroline and Simon. Former Area Commander of Maidstone


Police, Roger Hext, who succeeded Mr Corben as chair of the Trust said: “Richard was a respected chair who gave many years of service to the trust.” In a death announcement placed in the


Daily Telegraph, Richard’s family stated: “His courage and sense of humour stayed with him to the end.” Richard leaves his wife, children and nine grandchildren.


Mike Davis


MICHAEL Howard “Mike” Davis (75) had lived locally since the early 1970s and lived in Hengist Court from 2012, having previously lived in Cornwallis Road and Upper Fant Road. The son of a postmaster, Mike moved around with his father’s work and had lived in Kent before he moved to


the local area from Falmouth in Cornwall. He worked locally as a career civil


servant in the benefits office. With wife Chris, Mike raised daughter Mandy. She said: “My father was the kind of friendly person who would stop and help anyone. People have described him as kind and wise and hewas very much a people person, very giving. “He regularly visited a few old people


and just generally loved to talk. He also loved sport andwas a member of Kent County Cricket Club. Maidstone Cricket Weekwas a big event in his life for many years and he could enjoy almost any sport on television, although he had a particular love of rugby and football.” Mikewas widowed in 1992, but spent the final 11 years of his life with his partner –


also Chris. He leaves his partner, daughter and grandchildrenWesley, Freddie and Judd.


Sir Nicholas Fenn


SIR Nicholas Fenn (80) of Maidstone Road, Marden,was a distinguished career diplomat who had retired to Kent. He became active in public life again in


2014 when his anger at the development plans of Maidstone Borough Council prompted him to stand as a Liberal Democrat councillor in opposition in 2014. That effortwas unsuccessful, but Sir Nicholas’ working life had seen him take a range of positions in the diplomatic service including ambassador to Ireland, High Commissioner in India and spokesman for Britain at the United Nations. Hewas knighted for his diplomatic service in 1989. Sir Nicholas read medieval history at the


University of Cambridge and joined the Diplomatic Service from university. He served as vice counsel in Burma during the military coup in that country in 1962 and served a total of 37 years as a diplomat. Sir Nicholaswas involved in the Lancaster House talks over the future of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) andwas our man in China during the last days of leader Mao Tse Tung. He later worked for three years as chief executive for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Sir Nicholas served as a churchwarden


for St Michael and All Angels’ Church and supported the charity Safe Anaesthesia Worldwide, which is based in Marden. Sir Nicholaswas married to Susan and


father to Robert, who has followed his father into the diplomatic service.


Sue Poen


SUSAN Lyn Poen (67) lived in Aylesford village for 35 years, moving there with husband Barrie and brought up daughters Karen and Julia. Born Susan Cole in Luton, Medway, Sue


was educated in the Medway area and began taking administration jobs. Shewas working for Seeboard when she gave up work to become a mother. Sue raised her family as Barrie worked for the Kent Messenger Group but went back to work as her


children grew up. Her local jobs included work as a dinner lady at St Peter’s Primary School and administration work for Safeway (nowWaitrose) in Aylesford. Daughter Karen said: “Mumwas very


happy at home and loved poering. She had a talent for gardening and cooking and was very devoted to her family. Shewas a member of the village book club andwas known locally. “Her final bale with illness involved a


series of life-changing operations but she managed to stay strong and positive.” Sue – whowas widowed in 2013 – leaves


her daughters and grandchildren Eleanor, Thomas and Jacob.


There is no charge for our obituary service. Call Neil Nixon on 01622 630422 or email nlnxn@aol.com 32 Malling November 2016


Obituaries


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