Jill Rawson (14 Mar 1935 - 12 Jan 2017)

Jill Rawson age 81, of Carlton, Nottingham, sadly died on Thursday 12th January 2017 at the Queens Medical Centre Nottingham.

She was born March 14th, 1935, in Highgate Hill, London, the daughter of Charles and Dorothy Bentley (nee Barron).

A move to Hucknall Nottingham saw her attend Spring Street School and later winning a scholarship to the Grammar School where she attained 8 O levels despite her frequent reprimands for talking in class. She was also enrolled into ballet classes and eventually obtained a scholarship to the Royal ballet school. As this was in London and during the war she was unable to take up the position at the time. Eventually the need to concentrate on her education and then to earn a living meant an end to her dancing but her love of music continued to grow throughout her life.

With a primary interest in Science Jill worked in the laboratories of a local soap factory and also at Boots Chemist in Beeston, cycling the 24 mile round trip daily. Her final employment would be at Elliot Durham School as a laboratory technician until her retirement in 1995.

Jill was married to Derek Stuart Rawson. They met when Mick Jarvis (who she was courting at the time) asked his close friend Derek to look after Jill when Mick went off to do his National Service. Even whilst Derek subsequently did his National Service with the Royal Air Force their love continued to grow and they married in 1955 at Hucknall Parish Church following Derek’s discharge from the Services.

Their first home together was a flat on Woodborough Road where they both worked hard to raise a deposit for a mortgage, moving into the family home at Foxhill Road in 1957. The house has a large garden which Jill tended to with great pride on a daily basis from the beginning. She created the picturesque garden we know today which is also home to a myriad of different birds which she enjoyed watching right up to the end. She also has a very cheeky squirrel whose antics often made her laugh as he tried to pinch the goodies from the bird feeders

Family holidays with their two sons Philip and Robert had nearly always been taken in either Devon or Cornwall. In later years when the opportunity arose Jill and Derek took their love of travelling and explored many countries together including America, Italy and Australia.

Jill, Derek and her two sons have always had an outward look on life in general. Both Jill and Derek saw the funny side of almost everything just as their sons do today. Although a time for reflection I'm sure she would say a time to laugh also.

She is predeceased by her Husband Derek who passed away in 2003. She is survived by her two sons, Philip Rawson who lives in Nottingham with his wife Jacqueline and Robert Rawson who presently lives in Leeds with his wife Danielle.

She has six grandchildren, Elizabeth, Katherine, James, Michael, Aaron and Monish, and four great grandchildren, Karina, Maya, Joshua and Marcus.

She will be greatly missed but we know she is once again reunited with Derek and that both will be watching over us all.