Joy Clegg (17 Jan 1929 - 24 Jun 2023)

In loving memory of Joy Clegg who sadly passed away on 24th June 2023, aged 94 years. Loved and missed by her family and friends.

Joy was born and grew up in The Wirrall in Cheshire, the younger of two sisters. She started her working life as a medical secretary in Liverpool before moving down to London to work at a Harley St practice in the early '50s. She then moved to a big advertising agency, Crawfords, before joining the Crown Agents and going out to Uganda where she worked for the District Commissioner in Fort Portal.

Life in London sounded great fun - she told us of girly flat-shares in Bayswater with my late Godmother June and others, parties, many hosted by London Scottish, May Gaudys in Oxford, jaunts on the Thames in a friend's motor launch... then, wanting more adventure, the posting to Uganda where she very quickly met Colin, a young District Officer, whom she married in October 1958.

Their daughter was born in 1960, and her younger sister in 1963. The family returned to England permanently in 1965, just before Uganda was to become independent - and also for the children to start school. They lived initially in Hertfordshire as Colin got a job with Hawker Siddeley, but moved down to Dorking in 1968 with a change of job for Colin, and to be nearer their respective parents and siblings who were all in the South East.

Once the children were at school, Joy returned to work as a medical secretary - initially part time at Beecham Pharmaceuticals, and latterly at Dorking Hospital in a well-organised job-share (well before it was a 'thing' - 2 days one week, 3 days the next) until her retirement in 1994.

The family acquired cats, then horses - Joy was never a confident rider but loved helping to look after them. She learned Spanish - summer holidays were spent touring Spain with a large tent, and she was a superbly confident and efficient driver, map-reader, campfire cook, tent-putter-upper, and first aider when the children were consumed by mosquitoes or sunburned (or both)! She became a competent potter at Dorking Adult Education Institute, as well as regular cookery and yoga classes.

Dinner parties and summer parties were a frequent occurrence at Stone Lodge, with a large circle of friends, both local and far away (from the Africa days). Big family gatherings at Christmas and Boxing day were a feature too.

In later life, as 'empty nesters', she and Colin continued to travel throughout Europe and the UK, particularly camping tours of France. Joy also continued learning, enrolling in regular art history, archaeology, French, geology and other subjects over the years. And as their lovely granddaughter was born the year they both retired, much time was spent looking after her, particularly during the early years and summer holidays.

Sadly Colin passed away in 2004 and Joy downsized from the big house to a lovely flat where she remained until her death. She continued to be active - classes, travel, theatre and other cultural trips - her little walled garden is a gem - gardening, and being a brilliant grandma. Latterly frailty caused her to need live-in care, so her last days, despite the onset of Alzheimer's, were spent comfortably in her own familiar surroundings.

She will be much missed, but 94 is a 'good innings'!