Irene Margaret Loader (19 Mar 1931 - 15 Jun 2015)

In loving memory of the late Irene Margaret Loader who sadly passed away on 15th June 2015.

Mum was born to Fred and Alice Tooke (nee Kingsbury) on the 19th March 1931 in the Lying-In Hospital, Lambeth, London. She was one of four children, her brothers were Fred and Ken and sister Sylvia. The family lived in London through the blitz and mum told us stories many times about the bombings and the re-enforced table they had to get under if they could not get to the shelter in time. She told of the underground system as saving many from the bombs. Life was hard for everyone then but a lot of the stories reflected the many happy and humorous times too.

Eventually the family moved out of London to Watford, Hertfordshire where it was a bit safer. Mum worked at Ovaltine, as then income was more important than a career. She told of how all the girls on the factory floor would sing together while they worked, they sang all the popular and old London songs, it must have sounded wonderful. Mum loved to sing and could tap dance too.

In 1947 brother Fred on leave from the army brought home a fellow solider called Len, they had been to see a football match together. Mum at the time was 15 when she first met Len and straight away they got on well together. 5 years later after Len served in Hong Kong and Korea they married on 6th December 1952. A great year, as the Queen Elizabeth II succeeds King George VI to the British throne and is crowned; India held its first General Election; BOAC begins 1st passenger service with jets on the London-Rome route and Steven Segal was born to name but a few events.

Mum was quiet and timid when she was young and not long after her marriage to Len she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 21 years old. This was the start of mum’s many challenges that she would reflect on, be brave and overcome throughout the rest of her life.

In May 1954 mum and dad had me their first child. 18 months later Dad was seconded to the Malay Army to set up a training college so we all left for Malaya on the 28th Oct 1955 on the ship ‘ MS Oranje’. The journey took about 6 weeks and must have been an amazing adventure for mum, travelling through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, across the Indian Ocean to Malaya and Singapore. We lived in Port Dixon, right next to the jungle; everything was different: the way of life, the weather and the heat, different animals and insects, a big change for mum.
This brings to mind a couple of stories mum told me. One night she came face to face with a panther when she went to the dustbin; another time a very poisonous snake nearly bit me, the wild cat dad had tamed killed it just before I touched it; another close call was when a swarm of hornets went around the house, mum running around trying to get to the windows before they got in; once when dad was away mum heard something walking on the roof it was a Musang (a cat like animal) I remember her saying it was unnerving.

Along with all these other first’s mum being a Sergeant Major’s wife had certain duties to perform at the many Army Functions that she had to attend, she was very often the centre of attention. We lived in Malaya for three years, coming back to the UK on the ‘SS Corfu’ and docking in London on the 30th September 1958. However, she met all these challenges and overcame them.

It was good for us to be back in the UK to catch up with all the family and to come home. As ever with the Army, it was not long before we were posted to Munster in Germany, the new challenge here was actually flying there in an airplane, another first for mum. In Munster, Germany mum and dad had a son Kevin; he was born in Jan 1960 in the Military Hospital Munster.
We travelled a lot in Germany using it as our base to go camping throughout Europe.

After the three years in Germany we returned to the UK living in Leicester, Gillingham and Chatham in Kent with the army. Dad finished his time in the Army in 1967 we then all moved to a village called Caston in Norfolk where we owned a Post Office and Village Store for a few years. For a variety of reasons from here they moved to Devon where mum and I ran a small gift shop called The Curiosity Shop.
Both Kevin and I left home to pursue our careers when they lived in Devon, I think it was hard for mum we left as she had devoted herself to us both, a really wonderful mum. Mum was always there for us.
After a couple of more moves mum and dad finally settled down in Birmingham and eventually retired. Mum enjoyed travelling around the UK and did not desire to roam too far. Having spent time abroad with the Army they had visited most of Europe and of course the countries on the way to Malaya, as well as Malaya itself. So they spent their holidays mainly in Scotland or with us children and days out in their caravan or walking in Sutton Park. Mum loved to see the flowers trees and the birds and animals, she respected the environment and it's beauty.

Gradually over the last 4 years the Multiple Sclerosis became worse mainly affecting mum’s ability to do many things. Impacting on independence and her ability to walk and hold things. She still soldiered on saying how lucky she was to have reached her 80’s when there were some very young people who were much worse off than her.

So yes I remember mum overcoming the many challenges in her life. Her final couple of years when she was losing her ability to walk and be independent she met with the hardest challenge, but again was determined and resolute to the last. All through there married life mum and dad were side by side, both looking out for each other, a devoted couple.

Just to let you know that we loved you mum, you will be missed, but you will be remembered for the love you gave us, the times we spent together, your fairness, , strength, brave determination, dry sense of humour and wonderful smile.

Sandra.