The Colours of a Life


How can we forget…..
A first meeting – Exeter University Summer Ball

Copper curls, a shimmering turquoise dress, a shy smile, we listened and tried to bop to The Who, still honing their style, not quite yet into breaking up their guitars. Laughed at Bonzo Dog Doo Ba Band; sat together for the meal, rather flummoxed by the hard, green avocados, filled with pink prawn mush that awaited us; foreign food indeed; watched everyone else to see what they were doing, some attached with gusto, some abandoned the attempt, to avoid such things for years. It was the early 1960’s and we were cutting edge, very avant garde, but when you are in the midst of a cultural shift, you don’t necessarily know it.

A Wedding
Dicky feeling very honoured to be Tim’s best man, a delightful day. Newlyweds about to leave on honeymoon, young bride, brilliant emerald outfit, a matching emerald pill box hat atop those copper curls. Such a stunning combination.

A first home – Silverton
Visiting Mr. & Mrs Holt in their first home, a little nervous – although Tim and Dick had had 3 years to ‘bond’, Jill and I had not had much time to get to know each other. She offered Dick a plate of biscuits – chocolate ones and ginger ones. He chose the chocolate and, quick as a flash, with a very straight face, she enquired, “So, what is wrong with the ginger ones?”’ For once, Dick was rather taken aback, and then came that impish smile and deep throaty laugh, the ice was broken. We would enjoy that wonderful sense of humour and the fun is engendered over the coming years. Silverton was also memorable for the arrival of Dickon – life would never be the same again.

A Canadian home and adventure
Although we could not share those 3 years, we did keep in touch and were delighted to have them return with many stories, memories and a very precious bundle, Sarah!

A second home – Bishopstoke
Stays here were always memorable. Dainty Daisy, a tiny tortoiseshell cat joined them, we were all besotted by this endearing creature. She produced kittens and one of them, Jemima stayed on, very much part of the family. A large, fluffy, white, orange and black beauty who learned to straddle the toilet when the need arose. 

A third home – Chandler’s Ford
More room for the growing family, we were able to visit and continue to enjoy the time spent together, although late nights for us and early mornings with our joint, energetic young children were something of a challenge.
A small, homeless cat with velvet fur was taken down from Dursley. Ginger and black, no white but hopefully, still a tortoiseshell. Jill was delighted but not so delighted when Pippin developed a penchant for sharpening her claws on the woodchip wallpaper, reducing it to ribbons. 

There were traces of dove grey now in those curls.

A fourth home – Minstead
This pocket paradise gave Jill the space and scope to choose, plant and nurture so many special plants. Her natural gift for colour, form and texture was evident in all corners of this garden, snowdrops, pink and white cyclamen spread their Spring carpet, red, white and pink camellias grew to maturity, roses of all types and colours, a lavender walk, her white garden, such a special spot, flaming autumn colours, the golden ginko, the majestic purple prunus, with Ollie and Jacks swing, always something to catch the eye and enjoy.

Latterly much of the routine maintenance had been delegated to others, but she continued to care for and take pleasure in what she had created, as did we all. Everything blended into the wonderful backdrop of the forest that she adored. 

Pure white now interlaced the dove grey in those curls.

How can we forget? 
How many birthdays, Christmases, New Years, orienteering events spent together, even one stopover when I turned up a day early to be greeted, initially with surprise, but then welcomed and taken in. Jill had an unfailing ability to cope graciously with such a faux pas. I had loved her before, but that endeared her even more to me. 

Posh Frocks; muddy wellies; fragrant seating corners in the garden; smelly “O” socks and kit; we shared each others’ joys and sorrows. Jill always willing to listen and quietly offer support and guide, never ‘instruct’.

All our dogs and cats adored her and made it clear they would like to stay forever!

Borrowed her clothes, shoes, coat, to go to Dicks Dad’s funeral; generous and giving.

Visited Barcelona together - just as the bombs were going off - Jill had a project on Gaudi for her degree course; a memorable few days on several counts; not least of which was having her as our own private Tour Guide.

Self-effacing but oh, so capable. She excelled at whatever she put her mind or hand to; quietly completed projects and challenges.
Always put helping others first and her family first of all.

Black the day when we heard of her illness - numbing the brain and tightening the chest at the thought of losing her; sunrise, sunset, sunrise…..
Each new day does dawn, bringing with it slowly, oh so slowly, the realisation of how much she brightened our lives…. how lucky we were to have had her in them.

Gentle Jill, our Lavender Lady, leaving a Legacy of Love

January 2021