Jean Alice Kirby (15 Jul 1930 - 17 Jan 2019)

Jean Alice Kirby was born in Aldershot in 1930. The daughter of Ethel from Sunderland and Joseph from Kent. Joseph was a regular soldier and bandsman in the Royal Irish Hussars who served throughout WW1.
This meant that Jean grew up in many army postings around the UK and also in Germany and Egypt. 

Jean was a teenager during the war years of air raids and food rationing. When her father Joseph finally left the army, the family settled in Wembley, where she met her husband Doug, an engineer who ran a local motor cycle club.

She began her working life in an office working for Tyresoles where she won the accolade of "Miss Tyresoles" in the late 1950s - a title she was totally embarrassed by!
Jean took on several other jobs as she and Doug raised their two sons, Stephen and Phillip, in Ruislip, Middlesex and she finished her working life as a receptionist at Initial Towel in Eastcote. 

Jean spent over twenty years as a cub pack leader with the 12th Ruislip scout group  with her good friend Jack, and loved ballroom and square dancing.
She and Doug made several trips to Canada and the USA which included tours with their square dancing club friends and their best friends Marion and Jack. 

In the late 1990s, Jean and Doug retired to Verwood and became very active on the local bowls scene. She supported Doug in his committee work with Verwood bowls and also as he founded the Verwood Short Mat Bowls Club together with his friend George.

Jean was known as a straight talker but always wanted what she thought was best for everyone. She was a devoted wife and mother and was extremely proud of her two sons, four grandchildren and great grandson. She thoroughly enjoyed all the times she spent looking after each of her grandchildren as they grew up.

She was devastated at the loss of her beloved husband Doug, only two years ago, but Jean amazed everyone at how she dealt with her grief and her battle against cancer with great strength and dignity. 

She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.