May Shirley Parham (25 Sep 1925 - 15 May 2016)

In loving memory of May Shirley Parham who sadly passed away on 15th May 2016

May Parham led a very happy life in the countryside with her late husband Stan, enjoying her family and the surrounding fauna and flora. She had a particular love of birds and birdsong, and was very knowledgeable about the changing seasons and what different weather patterns meant. She also really loved flowers, and her face would light up if anyone took her a bunch.

Above all, she loved her four children, Stuart, Roger, Janice and Neil, five grandchildren Julie, Ian, Katie, Sophie and Emily and three great grandchildren Chloe, Megan and Abbie

She had a happy childhood playing in the Benfleet creeks and living on mum and dad’s houseboat becoming an excellent swimmer.

During the war years she worked in the War Office with June, who was her identical twin, and to whom she remained close all her life. They shared many adventures, and had funny stories to tell of being mistaken for each other!

May taught us all that it is the simple pleasures in life and being surrounded by a loving family that are the path to happiness, not the pursuit of worldly goods. She achieved contentment by thinking of others, and caring about their happiness first rather than her own.