Angela Caroline Phillips (31 Mar 1947 - 9 Aug 2021)

When Angela Caroline Akers was born, on the 31st of March, 1947, at St. John's Hospital in Chelmsford, her parents -- who had lost an earlier child at just a few days old -- did not expect her to survive.

Angela was premature, and tiny. But she showed an indomitable spirit that would burn brightly throughout her life, most noticeably in her dedication to others and her sharp sense of humour.

Tommy and Minnie Akers had moved to Canvey Island from London during the Second World War. Much loved by parents who had wanted her desperately, Angela was an only child, but grew up surrounded by cousins. Hers was not a lonely childhood.

In December 1962, Angela met Anthony Phillips during a night out. He was 19; Angela was a 15-year-old student at Westcliff High for Girls. Anthony did not know that until a few weeks later, when he saw her leaving a bus in her school uniform while on his way home from work and almost fell off his bike in shock.

Their relationship survived this bump in the road. Angela and Anthony got engaged in December 1963, and were married on July 23, 1966, at St. Nicholas' Church on Canvey. They spent their first night as a wedded couple at the home in Leigh Beck where they would live all their 55 years of marriage.

They had two sons: Ashley, born in December 1969, and Gregory, who arrived in February 1974. Despite Angela's earlier wish to have four boys, they quickly realised two was enough.

Angela left her job at Barclays Bank in the city to devote her life to raising her family. Later she used that same capacity for kindness to care for countless elderly residents of Abbeyfield St. George's House during more than a decade working there as a carer. That time spawned a friendship for the ages with Pat Linsell, a bond that would last the rest of their lives.

Angela also loved language. She was a whizz at crosswords, read historical fiction and loved poetry, from Betjeman to Belloc. And giraffes. She adored giraffes.

Despite the heart and lung trouble that persisted through her last few years, Angela continued to find joy in her family, which grew to include five grandchildren -- Natalie, Christie-Lee, Thomas, Zoë and Zane -- and two great-grandchildren: Grace and Logan.

Angela died in Basildon Hospital on August 9, 2021, three months after a heart operation from which her lungs were unable to recover, despite her best efforts and the care of many doctors and nurses to whom her family are so very grateful.

We'd say she will be missed, but that wouldn't even begin to cover it.