Sidna Mary Ward

Florida (formerly Ambleston)

SIDNA Mary Ward died peacefully on July 1 at her home in Pensacola, Florida.

Wife of the late John Charles Ward of Truro, Cornwall who worked for the Western Telegraph in Haverfordwest for many years, Mary died peacefully holding her daughter’s hand.

She was surrounded by her family and friends. Mary was a well respected Nurse in the County Hospital and Withybush, she also worked in Africa as a nurse during the war in the 1970s.

She retired in 1985 to move to Sicily with her daughter and family. She was originally from Wallis Ambleston.

Mary had a long fight, a very strong lady.

She died two hours after having her last rites with her priest. She is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Meryl, son in law Kenneth, two Grandsons Andrew and Marty and five great Grandchildren. Brother David Morgan of Ambleston and sister Astrid Morgan of Maenclochog, and cousins in Wales.

Mary Whitewright

Little Haven

MARY Whitewright was a teacher, landlady, fundraiser and organiser. She died suddenly but peacefully on 6th November, aged 76. Her life was characterised by tireless service to a number of voluntary organisations and her work enabled opportunity for others. Mary was a founder member of the Little and Broad Haven Fundraising branch of the RNLI, the president of Atlantic Challenge International, chairperson of the Havens Community Council, church warden of All Saints Church Walton West, licensee of The Saint Brides in Little Haven, and a retired teacher who taught for many years in a number of schools across Pembrokeshire.

Born in Swansea in 1940, Mary also lived in Llanelli and Haverfordwest, before settling in Little Haven in 1963, and marrying Malcolm in 1972. Her parents, Trudy and Eric Bradley, were the landlords of The Saint Brides.

She trained as a teacher at Trinity College, Carmarthen and took her first position at North Road Boys School, Milford Haven. She also taught in Hakin, St Davids and Broad Haven, where she also served as a school governor.

The local community of The Havens was a primary focus of activity for Mary. She served as church warden at All Saints church Walton West, as well as being a member of the Mothers’ Union for many years.

She was an active fundraiser for the church and the church hall in Little Haven. Mary had a great love of gardening, flowers and flower arranging. The latter often put to use for decorating the church or for organising flower festivals with the neighbouring churches of Talbenny and Haroldston. Involvement in the community evolved into service for the community when Mary was elected as local councillor, and then as chairperson of The Havens Community Council, covering both Broad Haven and Little Haven.

Serving took on a more hands-on aspect in 2001 when Mary, having retired from teaching, took over the running of The Castle in Little Haven, with her husband Malcolm. They retired from the pub trade in 2008, but returned in 2014 to buy and run The Saint Brides, also in Little Haven, with daughter Vivienne and son-in-law Andrew. This was a full circle for Mary, having previously helped her parents run The Saint Brides before it was taken over by her sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Phil Giles.

A love of the sea and the coastline was a constant in Mary’s life, and in 1975 she embarked on what would become a defining passion, as one of the founder members of the fundraising branch of the Little and Broad Haven RNLI station.

In the following decades, the work of the branch resulted in hundreds of thousands of pounds being raised for the RNLI. Mary’s dedication to this cause saw recognition in the form of a silver and gold medal, bar to gold medal, and in 2016 the highest honour from the RNLI of being made an honorary life governor.

She always recounted that a great memory of her service to the RNLI was taking part in an exercise in which she played the part of a casualty being winched from the lifeboat to supporting RAF helicopter, and back again.

Involvement in maritime affairs took a different course in 1996 when Mary attended the Atlantic Challenge International Contest of Seamanship in Bantry Ireland, to watch her son Julian competing as part of the UK team. Sensing a new challenge of her own, Mary became a trustee of Atlantic Challenge Great Britain in 2002.

The aim of the organisation was to educate young people through the medium of the sea, chiming with Mary’s own ideals, passions and interests. She was an integral part of the committee that hosted the ‘International Contest’ at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire in 2004. She became chairperson of Atlantic Challenge Great Britain in 2009.

This position required working with the other fifteen member countries of the international Atlantic Challenge organisation, which she achieved with such success that she was elected as chairperson of Atlantic Challenge International in 2015.

Throughout her life, and work, Mary took a role that enabled opportunity for others, especially young people. This might have been through careful tuition of the finer points of reading and writing, through fundraising for a variety of causes, or in organising events and meetings. She was always optimistic, generous with her time, endlessly energetic, and an inspiration to all who knew her.

Mary leaves her husband Malcolm, daughters Louise and Vivienne, son Julian, and four (soon to be five) grandchildren.

Elsie Dorothy (Dot) Lunt

Pembroke Dock

ELSIE Dorothy (Dot) Lunt, of Queen Street, Pembroke Dock, died at her home on October 18, aged 93.

During her working life she was a shop assistant at Peglars and Coop, a housewife and mother.

Her main interests were her family, playing whist, bus trip holidays and her many friends.

Family left to mourn are sons and daughters-in-law Terry and Marilyn, Raymond and Hilary, David and Aueril, Philip and Pauline; daughter and son-in-law Susan and Lothar, 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

The funeral took place at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth on October 27, officiated by Rev Caroline Mansell.

A reading was given by her nephew Paul Elliott.

Bearers were Simon Ebert, Gareth Kettle, Ross Kettle (grandsons) and Jamie Brayford (great grandson).

Donations can be made to the Paul Sartori Foundation c/o EC Thomas and Son Funeral Directors, Zoar Chapel Funeral Home, Llanteg, Narberth, SA72 6TS.

Gerald George Cadogan

Cosheston

GERALD George Cadogan, of The Laurels, Cosheston, Pembroke Dock died aged 84 on October 29.

Gerald served his time at Silcox Garage, Pembroke Dock. After his apprenticeship he and his wife Eileen moved to Haverfordwest as Gerald worked for a while at Greens Motors.

He returned to Pembroke after a while and spent 43 years with various construction companies at Station Road, Pembroke, (Hussey Egan and Pickmore, Ryan Construction and finally Teague Construction), retiring at the age of 67, having managed and serviced plant throughout the county.

His main interests were, first and foremost, his beloved wife Eileen, daughter Pauline and son-in-law Emyr Williams, his only grandchild Rhiannon ‘apple of his eye’, gardening, Pembroke Dock and District Chrysanthemum Society and uppermost his service as a Deacon at Bethel Baptist Church for more than 40 years.

He helped play a part in restoration of the main chapel and rejoiced to see the church now growing.

Family left to mourn are Pauline, Emyr and Rhiannon, Christine Sabido and family, Rosemary Ellis and family (cousin).

Although a small family left, too many friends and colleagues were touched by Gerald’s skills, ability to communicate with people, his personality and a great sense of humour right to the end. Gerald’s attitude was to fight on through various serious illnesses.

The bearers were Brian Hall, Kevin Garlick, Tudor Davies and Derek Mc Garvie.

A service of thanksgiving was held on November 9 at Bethel Baptist Church, Pembroke Dock, officiated by Rev Michael Bave, with a tribute by Pastor Rob James.

Donations to Ward 10, Withybush Day Unit, Withybush Hospital and Bethel Baptist Church, Pembroke, c/o EC Thomas and Son Funeral Directors, Zoar Chapel Funeral Home, Llanteg, Narberth.