In Loving Memory

Today was my Grandma's funeral. This is the bouquet that my brother sent. Every Valentine's day he and his wife would send a bunch of red flowers to Daw-Daw (that's what we called her - long story!) from 'a secret admirer' which is why there are red roses in her final flowers from them. I think here is a good place for a potted biography of Lillian Mary Dawes nee Kelly:
1908 (not a typo!) born Sheffield, on St Swithens Day. Mum was a seamstress, Dad worked for the brewery.
1915 evacuated to Hathersage because of the Zeppelin threat.
1922 One of a handful of girls to win a scholarship to enable her to stay on at school until 16. Worked as a secretary on leaving school.
1930 Married Henry (Harry) Dawes. Both were ardent communists.
1932 Had a cap fitted at the first Mary Stopes clinic in London. Only married ladies were allowed. She entertained us with this story at the tea table once. I shall never forget my Dad's face!
1934 & 1938 - children born. Both carefully planned!
1939 - 1945 She never liked talking about the war. "It wasn't very nice and there wasn't much food". One day there was a lovely rabbit stew. She had killed and cooked the family pet!!
They then moved around all over the shop with my Grandads job which culminated with Paris in the mid fifties. There they separated and lived on her own and independently until she was 95. She continued to beat my mum at scrabble and do the Telegraph crossword every day until a couple of months ago. Goodbye Daw-Daw. xxx