Obituary                                 Elizabeth Jones    Elizabeth was born in the Orkney Islands in 1931.  The pull of her birthplace always remained strong and she took the Orcadian newspaper weekly by post for the rest of her life.  The youngest of three children, she had a happy childhood surrounded by a large family of uncles, aunts and cousins.  At school she excelled academically and aged eighteen went on to Edinburgh University to read for a degree in English. She then moved to London and, while living with a maiden aunt, took a job with a large advertising agency and later with the publications department of Conservative Central Office.  Elizabeth enjoyed writing and editing and was a finalist in the Vogue magazine competition for young writers.  Her love of literature endured until the last few months of her life, her favourite author being Jane Austen whose wry, sharp observations she much admired   While still in London she met Bobby Jones and their marriage took place in Wimbledon 1958, shortly after which they left for Uganda where Bobby had obtained a teaching post at Busoga College on the shores of Lake Victoria.  During their time there they made many lifelong friends.  Their home became a key part of the community where they were known for their hospitality and generosity.  In fact a contingent of former colleagues and students from Uganda came to Elizabeth’s funeral service, having kept in touch for more than five decades.   In 1966 they decided to return to England where Bobby got a job at Birkenhead School.  They settled happily in Brancote Road and began to attend Palm Grove Methodist Church.  Elizabeth soon became involved as a Sunday School teacher and playing the piano.  When Palm Grove combined with Trinity she helped with Toddlers’ groups, arranging speakers for the Women’s Fellowship and helping with the magazine.  A skilled seamstress, Elizabeth also embroidered some of the hangings that still adorn the church, and, a keen gardener, she planted some of the flowers which are still flourishing in the garden at the top of the car park.  She also loved cooking, baking and inviting people to supper or Sunday lunch.   After Bobby’s death, her neighbours became a wonderful support network.  She grew very close to those who helped her with the house and garden and she loved to sit with them and hear their news.  In 2016, however, after exactly fifty years in Brancote Road, Elizabeth went to live with her daughter Olwen, thereby returning to her old haunts in Wimbledon.     In his retirement Bobby had helped on a project in Orkney to make a record of the gravestones in the local kirkyard and he asked for his ashes to be buried there. Next year Elizabeth’s ashes will also be interred there – by the edge of the sea – looking across the rip tides of the sound, to the Hoy hills and the mountains of Scotland in the distance.  After years away she will be returning home.     Elizabeth was much loved and is much missed.  We send our deepest sympathy to Olwen, Eleanor and their families.   Elizabeth’s funeral service took place in London but there was a Memorial Service at TPG led by the Rev Dr Christine Jones.  Olwen and Eleanor have asked if the following paragraph could be included in LINK: “We were very touched that our mother's friends at TPG wanted to hold a special memorial service for her and we were delighted to see so many people there on the day. It was lovely to hear other people’s memories of her and thank you to Christine Jones for pulling it all together. The lunch afterwards was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with everyone on a more personal level. Thank you all for the warm welcome and for the delicious lunch that was obviously a team effort. We really appreciated the planning and preparation everyone had put in and hope it will not be the end of our connection with a very special church family.”   

Blodwen was a lovely, gracious lady, with a beautiful smile which would light up her face. Born in 1927 she grew up in Birkenhead by the Park and then during the war went to live with her grandmother in South Wales. She was a Welsh speaker, as were her grandparents, and Blodwen loved to talk of Wales and share her memories of living there with others. After the war, when she returned to Birkenhead, she attended the Welsh Chapel on Laird Street where her Father was an elder and that was her church until after she was married.          TPG used to hold a lunch club on a Tuesday and Sydney’s parents were regular attenders: there was also a Sunday lunch once a month and Sydney would come to those lunches with his parents and that was the introduction he and Blodwen needed for both of them to start attending the Church here. Sydney became an elder and took very seriously his commitment to visit the members in his Pastoral group. Blodwen would always accompany him on those visits and her presence and contributions to those visits was really appreciated and is still remembered.          Until just a few years ago, Blodwen rarely missed a morning service and was one of the group of, mostly ladies, who used to sit together on the back row, and help and support each other. Blodwen had worked as a school secretary, and there are members of the congregation who can remember her in that role, as being efficient and very well- organised and a significant person in the life of the school. During her working life she had also spent time at a solicitors and at the Education Office.          She was always immaculately dressed and took a pride in her appearance. It was important to her that she gave of her best. Blodwen enjoyed being ‘out and about’ and it came as a great blow when she was no longer able to drive: for her this was a real loss of independence and she found it difficult especially as she enjoyed being in other people’s company. Blodwen especially enjoyed going to share Sunday lunch with Glenys, and at Church would often tell us that was where she was going after the service. She appreciated her weekly visit to bowls on a Monday afternoon and being able to sit and talk with friends over a cup of tea.          She loved going on holiday, seeing new places and experiencing new things. She went with her husband Sydney on cruises, including on the Queen Mary, the Queen Elizabeth and a cruise to America. Blodwen was good with her hands. She had been a member at the flower club, and could do beautiful flower arrangements. She also enjoyed doing cross stitch and made some beautiful cards, particularly for special birthdays and anniversaries, cards which are now treasured.          Blodwen had high principles, inspired by her faith in God. She knew what was right and did her best to live up to her ideals. She had a deep sense of loyalty to her family and friends, and was someone who did not take her relationships or other people for granted. We miss her: we thank God for her life, for all the memories that we have of her and that will remain with us and pray we will find, in God, comfort, hope and peace.

Obituary                  Blodwen Dillon