Madeleine Mary Roper (17 Oct 1949 - 15 Jan 2021)

In loving memory of Madeleine Mary Roper who sadly passed away on 15th January 2021

Due to current circumstances, numbers at the church and crematorium are restricted. In light of this, Madeleine's service will be streamed live should you wish to join us. Please copy and paste the following link into your web browser and use the login details provided:
At Bramcote Crematorium
https://www.wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view
Login / Order ID: 72882
Password: wvtvevph

The Mass at St Paul's will be recorded by Fr David and will be available to view on YouTube later in the day . The link is as follows https://youtu.be/l2CDw63AWpl

Madeleine was born on 17th October 1949, in a nursing home in Grappenhall, Cheshire, to Alfred and Mary Stone, and returned to the family home in Lymm, Cheshire, shortly thereafter. In 1951, Madeleine and the family moved to Nottingham, to start a business making and selling aquarium requisites, pet fish, pets and fly fishing equipment.
After being home taught, to read and write, by her Grandmother, Madeleine began her formal education, at the age of 4, by attending St Joseph’s primary school on Derby Road. She passed her 11 plus examination and went to St Catherine’s Grammar School which became Loreto Grammar School. After passing her ‘O’ levels Madeleine went to the Nottingham Art College to study photography and then went to Clarendon College to gain ‘A’ levels before attending the new Mary Ward Teacher Training College, at Keyworth, where she gained her Teacher’s Certificate in Primary Education.
Madeleine obtained a post at St Mary’s RC primary school, in Hyson Green and began her career as a hardworking and conscientious teacher in a challenging but rewarding environment.
Madeleine was proud of all of her pupils’ achievements and took great pleasure in learning of them from various sources. One girl became an archaeologist and appeared in an episode of The Time Team television programme, another girl, one of the Vietnamese ‘Boat people’, who couldn’t speak any English when she was put into Madeleine’s class, went onto University and gained a degree.
One day, as we were walking back to our car after shopping, we saw two policemen struggling with a couple of villains. As we passed them, one policeman, a sergeant, who had one of them in a headlock, looked up, saw Madeleine and his face lit up with a big grin. ‘Hello Miss’, he said. ‘Hello Anthony’, Madeleine said, ‘keep up the good work’ and we carried on to the carpark. When I quizzed her about the incident later, she said that Anthony had been a bit of a rascal as a pupil, but had a good heart and she knew that he would do well in life.
Sadly Madeleine had to take early retirement due to health problems and settled into a life of looking after our home and keeping me in order.
Madeleine and I were married at St Barnabas’ Cathedral on a very wet Easter Monday in 1973. A very splendid occasion, with the Bishop in attendance, followed by a superb reception at the Victoria Club.
During our life together, Madeleine and I enjoyed many activities including photography, travelling to all corners of the Country and visiting stately homes and antique establishments and wildlife parks etc.
Madeleine became very interested in researching her family history and was delighted whenever she discovered connections to notable people such as Gilbert White and even Lady Jane Grey. She filled our home with folders and boxes full of file cards, photographs and family trees.
During 1990 – 1991 Madeleine was proud to become Sheriff’s Lady when Alf became Sheriff of Nottingham. This was an extremely long and arduous year, but Madeleine put her heart and soul into everything and thoroughly enjoyed the year. She was very proud to meet The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and Diana Princess of Wales amongst many people. She also enjoyed many novel experiences including gliding, a hot air balloon trip, firing guns at the Royal Ordnance Factory and lots of Civic Receptions and visits and took lots of groups on trips around the Council House. How she managed I will never know.
Ten years ago Madeleine began to suffer severe pain in her head and neck and became unable to withstand being in company, because of the noise, which she found disorientating. She struggled on and concentrated on keeping our home in as near a pristine condition as she was able.
Sadly Madeleine’s health continued to decline and she suffered a stroke, just before Christmas 2020. Happily Madeleine and I were able to enjoy a superb Christmas lunch with Mary, Charlotte, Mike and Thomas.
After Christmas, Madeleine went into the QMC to have a stent procedure performed. This operation went well, but unfortunately this triggered off a major, catastrophic bleed on the brain. So Madeleine had to have an emergency operation but sadly to no avail. She never recovered consciousness and died on Friday January 15th with Charlotte and I by her side.
Goodbye my Love. We’ll never forget you!

God Bless xxx