Elaine, me, Kath and Gill at My mum Eve Howells 90th birthday.
My Aunty Kath was one of the loveliest people I know, She was always happy, positive caring and kind. When I was little I would love to visit her and Uncle Harry, especially to play with Jip the dog. P23aShe always liked to know how my dogs were when I saw her.. I think I remember some legendary parties where strawberry wine flowed and there was a lot of dancing. She will be missed by all who knew her.
What an amazing woman Kath was. Ive been trying to think for ages what to write here to honour her and I think it just comes down to how loving and loved she really was. I knew her for over half my life (which blows my mind really!) and Ill miss her every time we come down. All my love xxxx
Dinner tonight! Whenever we went to Crosskeys, Mam always wanted to have smoked haddock and parsley sauce with us., So we bought this especially for tonight.
Sucha lovely, kind, gentle lady and a wonderful friend to mum x
So many lovely messages thank you. It's going to be a tough day tomorrow but I am sure mam will be as supportive as ever xx
My favorite photo of Nan and I
I have some lovely memories of my aunty Kath we spent a lot of our holidays down in Newport and Cross keys we used always see aunty Kath even if it was just for the day She was always so happy and Mary and Kath was so close as sisters they always used keep in contact with each other and visit one another often although I hadnt seen much of her in last years she was always in my thoughts and always will be xx
Nan xx
I have so many happy memories of time spent with Nan, dancing with her to records, tea parties, looking through all her nik nacks, hearing her stories, going down the snooker club and helping at the till. I remember Nan getting her scooter when we went to Newport and her navigating round the shops. The trips to bingo were great fun and I always think on Nan when we play.
Nan always took the time to listen and ask how we all were and always seemed to know if something was up. Nan always made the most of what she could do and even if we could only get down to Tesco this was a great day out and we would enjoy a nice lunch and a bit of cake. I have so many wonderful memories of Nan but the thing I will remember the most is how Nan made me feel xx
Ten things that Nan taught me
1. Ask questions that others might not ask and always listen
2. Be grateful for what you have and what you can do
3. Have fun and dance when you can
4. Watching Doctors after a big lunch and falling asleep is very relaxing
5. Knitting is harder than it looks - sorry Nan I never mastered this
6. A wheelchair accessible taxi is not always wheelchair accessible
7. How to play pool - still not got the hang of snooker though!
8. Lime cordial is a great substitute for oil
9. Always take a spare bag when going out for a meal so leftover meat for the dog doesnt get messy in your bag
10. Always take a tissue with you
To the best Nan ever xx
I have so many wonderful memories of my Nan, as we spent so much time with her and Bamp. She would collect us from school very often and take us to the park, we would climb right to the top of the climbing frame and nan would be telling us to get down, we would laugh thinking she was just being boring now when Im calling to Cory to get down from the top of a tree I think of my nan!
On Saturdays Nan would take us to Risca on the bus, we would spend time at the library and then walk to the café for some lunch, via the park of course. Having now had my own two children I can appreciate that this activity would not have been easy! We (myself, Emily and Daniel) must have been hard work at times, but Nan always spoilt us If that wasnt enough, she then took us to Sunday school each week (Im starting to think my parents had it easy ). After church we would go to Nans for lunch. I can clearly remember that I would mix all of my food into one mashed up pile, and then tell Nan that her food was much nicer than my mums, nan would very quickly tell me not to say things like that especially to my mum, an example of how she never liked upsetting others, although it was kind of funny at the time .
We enjoyed a number of holidays with Nan (and Bamp), dancing in Blackpool tower, visiting the seaside and playing bingo at Newquay and Weymouth. As I grew older, I enjoyed our conversations, Nan would always want to know how I or my children were, never complaining or moaning about her own health issues. I will miss our conversations so much.
Love and miss you so much already, Love Hollie, Gregg, Cory and Isabelle xxx
Kath was my dear friend and sister-in-law for 70 years and will be sorely missed .
We were married 2 weeks apart in 1949 and lived together for a year until until Kath and Harry moved to Crosskeys.
We had our first babies 2 weeks apart.
Kath and took walks together with our babies. On a Saturday we would walk to Rogerstone station and catch the train to Newport.
However we had to travel in the guards van With our large prams!
I can't remember a cross word between us. She had a lovely kind nature and everyone loved her .
I will miss her very much and will miss our weekly chats
God bless
Love Ev
Lovely photo Liz and that made me smile. Alfie says you can visit anytime xx Mam really enjoyed yours & Aunty Eve's visits, they were more like sisters & good friends xx
This beautiful photo of your dearly beloved mam was taken in alan and Margarets to celebrate Bills birthday. Nelson and I were very fond of your mam and her sense of humour. Despite her immobility your mam was always in good spirits with funny stories to recount. Ev and I visited often and on our last visit I was delighted as Alfie had finally stopped barking at us when we arrived and he accepted me as he jumped up on the sofa to sit beside me! I will miss your mam very much. Xx ️
I will remember Kath fondly, a lovely caring woman who loved life and who always had time for me and to have a chat!
She has been a part of my life for.. gosh must be.. well a life time ! The armchair is now empty, but I know whilst she has gone, she will rise in glory. God Bless you Kath xx
A brilliant Nan
Nan was such a kind person
Nan was always so much fun - remember laughing and being silly together
My lovely last picture of Nan x
A wonderful Nan
Recently she changed her second hymn, partly because she was unsure who would know the words and wanted everyone to sing. Little did she know none of us would be able to sing in church on Tuesday!
Secondly she changed it having spent so much time sat looking out of the window at the changing colours of the mountain & flowers.
So if you are able please sing Morning has broken and join in from where ever you live at 3.00 and that will help me too as you can't be with us xx
Mam choose her hymns many years ago this being the first
Rachael's 30th Birthday
I will always remember fondly trips with Nan to Barry Island, like this scorching-hot one last summer. Thankfully, I don't remember the time I got hit by a canoeist and scared Nan silly, but I do remember the one trip we bumped into a lady Nan knew on the train back and she taught me the shortcut for remembering 7x8 being 56 because the numbers are in order - funny how little things stick with you. (I seem to recall Nan knew her, but Nan was always so polite and friendly with everyone, the woman could have been a total stranger...)
I also credit a lot of my love of reading to Nan and our outings to Risca library, and seeing her always with a book or three next to her chair. I was delighted to introduce her to the wonderful world of Kindle a few years back and in some small way repay the favour.
Similarly, my enjoyment of snooker... I spent a fair amount of time hanging out with Nan while she worked at the snooker hall, and her sneaking me goes on the tables when the place was quiet, playing darts or watching TV together, and the delicious, delicious scampi fries and post-mix Coke. Ahhhh....
Thanks for everything, Nan. Love you lots and miss you loads already.
Mam's 90th Birthday
Here's a picture of Mam with Abi and Freya - it was supposed to be at Mam's 90th Birthday party (2016), but one of the girls had got chicken pox, so we couldn't take them to the party.
Including Mam's 60th at Ascot & last holiday to Western
Includes mam's 80th
Famous shed party
Jim & Colin in the rowing boat with mam's brother John
I arrived!
Happy days (Sorry having to upload each photo separately and won't allow without a comment each time)
Kath & sister Mary
As we are unable to join with each other to pay our respects to Mam, Nannie Kath, Great Nannie, Nannie Alfie or as friends I thought you might like to share some of my memories
These are just a few reasons why I loved my mam so much ️
Firstly, because I have heard time & time again about how I arrived in the front room of No 11 and that mam fell in love with me on that special day. Over sixty-one years later I continued to experience that same love
Mam took me everywhere with her and I laugh now at how I teased her over the tale of: Nanny Florrie was feeling unwell, so mam popped to the King Billy to buy a medicinal remedy. Well you can imagine how it looked to passers by the fact mam comes out with a bottle of whisky and I am sat outside in my pushchair!!!
She taught me things like how to play, cook, clean, knit, holiday, dance, work the till at the snooker hall .................. and later helped my children learn the same (dad taught me how to grow veg; change a plug; change a tyre apply plastic padding and use an hairdryer to warm a flat battery; to gut mackerel; how to place a bet & special 'tips' for finding a 'winner'; to dance properly; to wink & smile; to start a PAYE with my first pay packet..............and to take peppermint with the whisky )
Mam was there at my first day of school and there to hear all about it at the end of each day and always interested in everything I did (in fact she took delight in hearing what everyone did)
At eight years old for 5 weeks & 2 days following a serious RTA, she prayed and sat with me and continued to nurse me back to full strength for much longer. I had to go back into hospital at Chepstow two years later and again mam was there every day apart from one. Even then she wrote me a letter for dad to bring in. Unknown to mam I didn't get too upset because dad snook my guinea pigs in instead
She made my younger friends want to come to our house to play supplying us with paste sandwiches & cake, such as when we turned dad's greenhouse into a play den. She opened the door to older friendships and was happy when I was happy, gave comfort when I needed it, didn't judge and quick to forgive. In return I allowed her to think she had a share of Alfie!
Mam made the house a home, however, she would take us out over housework any day! So lots of outdoor memories including Ascot, Chepstow, Bath .......(Ok dad had an influence on this and we all loved the days out, particularly when dad made everyone cram into one car, or even sneak through edges to save a bob or two on parking. Not just days at races most holidays revolved around meetings and on one visit to Newton Abbot, dad managed to scam a free entry for himself on the pretence that the last Gyp was a greyhound that was so funny, but I got indignant when he went on to get mam in for free by making out mam was an OAP!!! think she was around 58)
I bet no one else had a 'shed dismantling' party
I learnt to respect and care for others as a result of the unconditional love & guidance I received from both parents and realise how blessed I am. Mam never told lies, wouldn't break anyone's confidence and always ready to listen. I gave her a plaque some years ago that said 'you will always be my friend you know too much' and we certainly did
Despite her aches & pains mam worked into her seventies and her only complaint was she wished she could have new legs. As dad used to say 'she chased after me' but think all that dancing was more to blame, he may be right though as she would have followed him anywhere and never a cross word apart from; the tale of a frying pan for their 1st wedding anniversary! but of course she knew what she was letting herself in for after having their 1st date at the greyhound track
Mam & Dad celebrated over sixty years of happy marriage and having spent a lifetime practising her Faith she was looking forward to being reunited. Funeral plans haven't gone to the original format and mam would understand why and still likely to be worrying about us all. The main thing is she will get her wish to rest in the arms of those she loved
At almost 94 years mam was still able to make over fifty Christmas cards this year and even learnt to make pompoms for the table. I can only remember my phone number whilst she could real off many and never mixed up the names of her 7 grandchildren & 13 great
We enjoyed a few holidays without dad including two mini cruises the first of which we visited Ireland, Spain and France, we thought it best to keep dad in the dark as not to worry him so let him think we were at Weymouth. Last year we had a fabulous holiday together at Western Super Mare and she could still surprise and remind me of special memories of past family holidays
Her last words to us were 'I love you' and she did
I hope this has helped you think of your own thoughts of Mam for on the day, hopefully we will celebrate mam's life and so much more together as soon as it's safe, but for now take care and come through this crisis safely
Love Gill
xxx
Here is a story I was going to tell at the funeral. It shows a lot about Mam's character. It happened over 40 years ago.
Mam was in Pontymister when she found a bundle of £1notes on the pavement. Can't remember exactly how much but £40 comes to mind. There would have been a great temptation to pocket the money - but not Mam. She took it to the police station in Risca. A short while later she received a visit from a lady who had been given Mam's address by the police. It turned out that the money was the pension money of this lad's mother. It was her only source of income. The lady wanted to give mam a reward - which , of course , man refused to accept. I believe that in the end she settled for the lady buying an ice cream fo Gill!
Mam got far more reward from her knowledge of what she had done that any amount of money
As most family & friends are now aware, we are unable to have a funeral service for mam at this time. Hopefully we can all celebrate together in the future but for now I wish to thank you all on behalf of Jim, Colin and our families, for the messages of support received.
Please feel free to post memories on this page if you wish.
As we all know mam took a keen interest in everything and at this current time, I know she would be praying for everyone to stay safe and would understand the situation is out of people's control.
Take care
Love Gill xx