I have created this page to allow those of you who knew my mum to donate to her favourite charity.

Mary Walker was born in April 1926. Daughter to an engine driver in the steelworks and one of 8 children she left school at 14 to work in service.  By 18 years of age she was in Belgium with the NAAFI in a mobile canteen serving our troops.

In 1948 she was in Berlin where she met Derek Stokoe where a 6 month romance was sealed with marriage.

Eleanor was born in Berlin and everyone moved to Malaya in '54 whilst Derek defended the Empire.  It was not all fighting as Douglas arrived in Ipoh in 1956.

Army life saw the family live in Shorncliffe, Edinburgh, Aden (for more Empire defending - we left in a hurry at things "got hot"), Malta, Iserlohn, Tidworth, Wuppertal, Southsea, Mill Hill.

Mum took this in her stride.  Never one to be flustered she was forever practical.  Even though she was driving 3 ton trucks in 1944 she didn't get a UK driving licence until she took the test for an automatic in the 70's.  Mum's favourite phrase was "The Lord helps those who help themselves" and she certainly lived by this creed.

Always seeking new experiences she took the opportunities to try new things and go to new places where ever and whenever we were living. 

When Dad retired from the Army they moved to York where they became active members of their community and commenced new careers in Imphal Barracks. When they finally retired Mum always would wonder how they ever had the time to go to work.  Mum became an accomplished darts and bowls player as well as active in meals-on-wheels and the social club.

Latterly Mum and Dad have been living in Margate so they could be close to Eleanor and Doug.

Mum died after a short illness on 20 January 2011.

We shall miss her.

 

Eleanor & Doug

 

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