Shirley Ann Wren (9 Nov 1936 - 25 Jan 2023)

In loving memory of Shirley Ann Wren who sadly passed away on 25th January 2023, aged 86 years.

Family flowers only please may be sent c/o John Weir Funeral Directors, Rainham by 9:00 am.

Donations if desired in memory of Shirley for Alzheimers Research UK may be made online via this site.

Video link for the funeral: https://vimeo.com/event/3096810

Password: Brixham

TRIBUTE – Colin

Mum has a unique story.

She was born in Brixham, South Devon in 1936, and christened at the Fisherman’s Church. Her father, John Buley, was the head fisherman of the Brixham fleet, which was then the largest in the country, but her mother, Lilian, died when Mum was young. Mum was youngest of twelve children and she was adopted by family friends, William (known as Jack) and Gladys Hart, who had in fact always been promised the 13th child! As with many girls at that time, Mum was named after Shirley Temple, but she preferred to be known as Ann.

With war, they moved to Gillingham, as William was in the Royal Fleet Auxilliary and based at Chatham Dockyard. He was sunk three times, but survived, and Mum remembers her mother’s frequent faints. Her other wartime memories, which she recounted, include seeing her mother dive head-long into a cabbage patch one day when the engine of a passing Doodlebug ceased! And on a stay in Brixham, she raised the alarm when an incendiary device set fire to some rough ground alongside her grandma’s house.

Mum had a strict upbringing, but did not have a conventional education, as she was schooled in Devon, in Gillingham and in New Brighton on Merseyside, where her father was stationed. In Devon she played with her elder siblings, unaware of who they were. She always said she wanted brothers and sisters, but only as a teenager did she find out that she had many! A few years later she met our father, George, who followed her and her friend all the way home one evening! The irony is that Wrens had moved to Medway leading-up to an earlier war.

Mum was married in 1956 in Gillingham and lived in Twydall, where she had three children, before moving to Franks Court in 1970. As a child I remember fondly the holidays in Devon, visiting relatives, including Mum’s adopted family. It was here that Mum was most content, but she always knew she had to get back to Kent! She was a dedicated home-maker, devoted to George and said that bringing-up children was the happiest, but most challenging period of her life. Indeed, she would say that Dad was paid on a Thursday, but the money was gone by Monday! Nevertheless, it was a happy childhood and we never wanted for anything.

More recently, George passed on, who Mum will now join. They hadn’t really been apart since Dad did his National Service in the late 1950s, and his passing was a tremendous shock for her and all the family. For about ten years Mum attended the Thursday coffee mornings here at St Margaret’s. She felt the need to get out of the house, and many neighbours will have seen her rushing to catch a bus or popping-over Tesco’s. She always took a keen interest in people, and had the remarkable ability to start-up a conversation with almost anyone she would meet.

One of Mum’s sayings was that “age does not come alone” and of course recently she suffered with dementia, and all the associated problems that Covid brought. We are grateful for the staff at Park View Care Home for looking after Mum during this period, and to Lesley and Becky on whom the burden fell. Mum had an infectious sense of fun that few saw. She was hard-working, a home-builder, loved gardening and was always smartly dressed.

It is with great sadness, but also with immense pride, that we mourn her passing. We will all miss you.
God bless you Mum.

POEM – Becky and Gary

The day you left and gained your wings, our hearts just broke in two
We wish you could have stayed with us, but heaven needed you
You left us with our memories, and we love you dearly still
No matter how much time goes by, you know we always will
You were a very special person, with kindness in your heart
and the love we had together, grows stronger now we are apart
I know I cannot bring you back, although I wish it every day
But a piece of me went with you, the day you went away.

TRIBUTE – Andy

Mum, where do I begin …

I want to start by saying ‘thank you’ for looking after me for 58 years – I know it’s not always been easy. And ’thank you’ for giving us kids such great holidays, not forgetting the time you and Dad were getting ready to leave, were in the car and nearly left without me – as I was still in bed. You used to leave me to last as I was the most trouble – well that was what you said.

You were such a caring Mum and very funny. I remember you having those funny 5 minutes when you locked Dad out of the house. I fondly remember my one Sunday afternoon, Dad had been working in the garden and you locked the front door, then quickly went to the back door and locked that too with dad shouting out ‘come on Ann let me in. You then ran upstairs to your bedroom and threw a cup of water over him.

During Covid you came to stay with us. You came outside with us and banged saucepans for the NHS, came to a neighbour for a tea party outside asking if she needed any help when clearly it was the other way round. You sang and danced YMCA in the garden to our neighbours on a Friday night before our neighbour Alison when to work as a nurse. You tried to catch me in the paddling pool with a fishing net and nearly fell in and ate us out of house and home with the love of your chocolate biscuits. I can still see you sitting on the sofa feeding our dog Pickle cheese sandwiches saying ‘those big brown eyes’.

Then there was our wedding and I will never ever forget when you and Dad got on your hands and knees and thanked Marie for taking me off their hands and wishing her ‘good luck’. I remember you saying ‘if I had been the first child then I would have been the last’.

And finally, thank you Mum for treating Marie as daughter and welcoming her into the family.

So Mum for now it’s goodbye but never forgotten. Mum, you can go and be with Dad.

You are always in my thoughts.

Love you to the moon and back, your loving son, Andy