Mary Knight (21 Feb 1943 - 4 Jul 2022)

In loving memory of Mary Knight who sadly passed away on 4th July 2022 in Medway Hospital.

Her funeral will be held on Friday 12th August at 1:30 at Medway Crematorium. Please wear something colourful or with flowers. The Wake will be at Edenwood Place (15 Old Chatham Road, Blue Bell Hill, Aylesford, ME20 7EZ). Family flowers only please (to T.Allen Funeral Service, Merrals Wood Court, Wells Rd, Rochester ME2 2PN). We are suggesting that people either buy a plant to go in their own garden in her memory or have a lovely bunch of flowers at home. If preferred, donations to the Royal British Legion Institute.

Mary was born to Thomas and Ella Shilling in Strood during the Second World War. She had 3 older sisters (Dorothy, Beryl and Sylvia) who had been evacuated so she grew up with her younger sister Joyce. They sadly lost a brother in childhood.

Mary attended Gordon Road School before passing her 11 plus to allow her to go to Rochester Grammar School. Here she met friends that she stayed in contact with throughout her life.

Mary worked for Kent County Council Education Department.

She married her childhood sweetheart David Knight and they had 4 children (Tim, Richard, Helen and Darren).

After being a stay at home Mum, she returned to work at the Co-op in Strood where she worked in several roles before retiring.

She loved knitting and other crafts, made a legendary Apple pie and was a very keen gardener. Musical theatre and cinema were favourite pastimes. Mary & David loved country music and used to dress in character to attend music events at the Earl Estate Community Centre. She was very vocal watching sport on the TV especially show jumping and football. She moved from watching David and other members of the family playing bowls for Wingets, Townsend Hook, etc to playing herself for a few years. She was a member of the Strood Gardening club where she loved to show off her horticultural & crafting skills.

Family meant the world to her and she always remembered birthdays. She was Grandma to Rebecca, Matthew, Stewart, Lucy and Victoria. She recently became a Great Grandmother, or GGK, to Arlo and Thea.

She will be much missed.