Obituaries 2008

Obituaries
People Remembered 2008
Obituaries Index │ Fallen Heroes

Dorothy Galliver 1923 - 2008
Wife of the late George Galliver and mother of three daughters, Jane, Sue and Liz.
Dorothy and George lived in Felmersham for many years, firstly at The Old Stables and then Tydfil, a house they had specially designed for them. In c1999 they moved to Bedford.

Both Dorothy and George supported St Johns Hospice and Dorothy organised fund raising events for St Johns in the parish. She had been an active member of Felmersham WI having served as president. The family worship at Priory Methodist church, Bedford where Dorothy was actively involved.

Rita Kathleen Hope 1937 - 2008

Rita was born in Rugby Wks. to Phil Lusty and Kathleen Slack. She had an elder brother, Lawrence and sister Audrey, who still resides in Wales. After primary school she attended Rugby High School for Girls and then joined the BTH Company working as a lab assistant in a metals analysis department. During that time she met her husband to be, David, while she was rehearsing for a student "Rag Revue" fund raiser at the local amateur theatre. At the theatre she became involved with a group of special friends who are still closely bonded today and affectionately known as "the gang". Rita married David in 1962 at St Botlph's church in Newbold on Avon. In 1964 she relocated to Carlton, Beds. with David who was offered a job with Texas Instruments.

Their first house was a small semi detached bungalow in Carlton where Ian and Gary were born. Soon after the family moved to Moor End, Radwell to a detached bungalow with 2/3 acre of land. Lisa was born soon after in 1969. In 1973 a short expatriate assignment took the family to the Munich area and when complete they returned to Radwell. During this time yet another group of friends formed a bond that still also exists today. The family were active in the village life where Rita played tennis and was one of the early members of the Pinchmill Players. The children all attended the newly built Pinchmill school. In 1980 the family relocated to Houston, Texas for a 2 year expatriate assignment for David and Rita became a registered Cosmetologist. In 1982 David was offered a permanent position in Houston and the family was granted resident alien status. Soon after the home in Radwell was reluctantly sold.

In 1984 the family moved to Florida for 7 years followed in 1992 by another move to Aloha, Oregon where they acquired a large home with a 1 acre lot and beautiful view of valley and mountains. Rita worked as an accountant for QSI and Intel and in 1996 decided she had worked enough and "retired". She devoted her time to playing tennis with a wonderful group of ladies, all older than her and were affectionately called "the old bats tennis club". Rita became a US citizen in 2003 but also retained her English citizenship.

She was a quiet, private person with amazing abilities beyond her tennis and stage skills. She was a loving wife and mother extraordinaire, as her three children will happily attest to. She projected so much love and empathy that she became the surrogate mother to all of the children's friends who all called her "mom". She mastered the art of French cuisine, loved to knit, was extremely talented with water colour painting and in the last few years began writing children's short stories and poetry. She was playing tennis up till the point of an MRI scan that revealed a brain tumour that the neurosurgeon was confident could be removed. It was removed, but she suffered a stroke late into the surgery, never waking up and peacefully died 2 days later with all her family at her side. She felt no pain at any time, that was saved for us, her family. David Hope

Joyce Franklin (née Hulatt) 1926 - 2008

Joyce was born in Bedford in 1926 the daughter of George and Ivy Hulatt. The family moved to the Six Ringers in Felmersham where George and Ivy managed the pub. There were four children, Joyce and her sister Olive and two brothers Jim and Geoff (who was born, and still lives, in the village).

In 1943 Joyce enlisted in the Women's Land Army and spent the next seven years working on local farms. Joyce wore the distinctive uniform issued to all Land Girls, which consisted of a green jersey, brown breeches and a khaki overcoat. Unfortunately she did not receive her Land Army medal until a few days after she died.

In 1950 she married John Franklin from Carlton and they moved into Bailey's Villas where she spent the rest of her life. John and Joyce had two sons, Stephen and Dennis. Unfortunately Denis tragically died in an accident at work in 1974. When Pinchmill Lower School opened in 1974 Joyce became the care taker and she remained working there until she retired. Joyce was frequently seen riding her bicycle around the village. She died on 20 July 2008. Joyce's husband John died in 1995.

Joyce in the uniform of the Women's Land Army. Odell 1944 >

Janet Eyre 1938 - 2008

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of a much-loved former teacher of Pinchmill School. Janet joined Pinchmill School in 1976 and retired in December 1991. During those years she was a much liked and capable teacher. Her main interest was in music and in particular teaching the recorder. So many childrens' introduction to instrumental playing was due to Janet's enthusiastic recorder teaching.

At Christmas there was always a stage production - the music being Janet's responsibility. The singing was always of a very high standard for such a small school with so few young children.

Janet was also an active and lively presence at the many social functions held in the village and we fondly recall the vitality she brought to any occasion - and her lovely smile!

Janet moved to Malvern in 2003 to be near her daughter. She was taken ill in 2006 but sadly died on 24 November 2008. We are sure that many of Janet's former pupils, and their parents, will have very fond memories of her, as will all the colleagues who had the immense pleasure of working with her.

Jean Pritchard & Mary Freeman.

If you wish, you can record the death of someone dear to you by writing a short obituary for insertion into this section. The person may have died some years ago, the only qualification is that they must have spent some of their life living in the parish of Felmersham or Radwell.