Mrs M M Fernie

Pembroke Dock

MRS Mary Maud Fernie (formerly Newell, nee Beare) of Pembroke Dock passed away at Withybush Hospital on February 15.

She was 77.

Originally from Neyland, Mary lived in Pembroke Dock for many years with her husband Allan, but many may remember her from King Street or Neyland where she was born.

Mary was predeceased by her brother Billy and her daughter Debbie.

The family left to mourn and principal mourners are Allan (husband); Sylvia and Ricky (sister and brother-in-law); Carol and Peter, Stephanie and Julie (daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren); William and Bev, Shaun and Sophie (son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren); Paul and Michelle, Gavin and Shane (son, partner and grandchildren); Robert and Michelle, Gary, Michaela and William (son, partner and grandchildren); Tony (son-in-law); Anthony, Donna, Kathleen, Christy, Trevor, Liam and Terry (grandchildren) plus numerous great grandchildren too numerous to mention.

The funeral service was held in St John’s Church on March 6 followed by interment at Llanion cemetery.

It was officiated by Revd Christine Everett.

There were family flowers with donations in lieu for Ward 12, Withybush Hospital, where Mary was so well cared for during the recent weeks.

Donations may be sent to E C Thomas and Son, Funeral Directors, 21 Main Street, Pembroke SA71 4JS who also carried out the funeral arrangements.

Mr D Ebsworth

Pembroke

THE death occurred peacefully and with dignity at St. Non's Unit, Bro Berwyn, Haverfordwest on February 7 of Mr David Llewellyn Ebsworth of Grove Drive, Pembroke.

He was 75.

The funeral took place on February 16 with a service at Monkton Priory Church and was followed by interment at Monkton Cemetery, officiated by Rev. Josh Maynard.

David is survived by his wife Pat; Steven and Debra (son and partner); Dylan and Jack (grandsons); John and Joan Ebsworth (brother and sister-in-law); Ann and Gerwyn Davies (sister and brother-in-law); Brinley and Barbara Evans (brother-in-law and wife) together with other members of the extended family and many friends too numerous to mention.

The bearers were all very dear friends of David, Jim Stobbart, Alec James, Peter Phillips, Mike Baldwin, Clive Lewis and John Jenkins.

David was born in Saundersfoot in 1942 and then later spent his childhood at The Alexandra Hotel, Pembroke Dock.

He went to Llanion School and then Pembroke Grammar School.

David was always a good sportsman enjoying athletics, tennis, football and rugby, playing for Pembroke Dock Quins.

He started his working life at The Ministry of Labour at Pembroke Dock before becoming Assistant Manager at the Tenby branch.

This he did for seven years.

In 1968, David started work at Texaco Refinery, the job he loved for 31 years, working through the ranks and making many lifelong friends, retiring in 1998 as Assistant Superintendent.

After retirement, David enjoyed travelling and the company of his very dear friends and family, especially the grandsons, Dylan and Jack, "His boys".

There were family flowers only but if desired, donations in lieu in memory of David for St. Non's Unit, Bro Cerwyn Centre, where David had such wonderful care may be sent to John Roberts & Son, Funeral Directors, 51, Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, SA72 6AN, who carried out the funeral arrangements.

Mr J C F Adie

Freshwater East

JOHN Adie passed away peacefully at Withybush Hospital on Friday January 19, aged 86, after a short illness.

The eldest of two boys, John was born to Fred and Doris Adie in Cherry Hinton, Cambridge in May 1931.

A few years after the arrival of his younger brother Geoffrey, the family moved to Wilmslow, Cheshire and John attended King's School in Macclesfield, where he obtained his school certificate.

He had many fond memories, including the start of his cricketing days, where he captained the school's cricket eleven. Sport featured highly in his time there, where he also played rugby on the wing and did very well at cross country running.

From the age of 18, he served two years of National Service in the Army stationed in Hamburg and, discovering his sporting ability, was asked to play cricket all over Germany which he enjoyed immensely often regaling tales of this to people he met. Before he left the army he reached the rank of Lieutenant.

John was a keen member of the Scouts in his teenage years and met his soulmate Gillian through the Scouts and Guides movement.

They were sweethearts from the age of 16 on Valentine's Day and five years later became engaged on the same memorable day. They loved visiting the cinema, cycling holidays (including a mammoth journey from Cheshire to the Isle of Wight) and shared a great love of dancing. John and Gillian were married on 16 July 1955 and made their first home in Prestbury, Cheshire, where John became a Scout Leader. In 1957 they welcomed daughter Susan, followed by son Keith in 1960.

John had begun a career in sales and they moved to Llanddulas near Colwyn Bay in North Wales, where John became a sales representative with Nestle, jointly winning top sales for the area on one occasion and becoming Chairman of the Commercial Travellers' Association for a year. This was a very happy time with more dances in their social life and, with John taking up cricket again, a chance for the whole family to enjoy Saturday picnics at the matches.

In 1968 the family moved to Bingham in Nottinghamshire and Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, each for three years, while John worked as Office Manager for Nestle in West Bridgford, near Nottingham. A move back to Knutsford for six years followed, where cricket continued, before the big move to Pembrokeshire in 1980.

John took up the position of Office Manager for Bookers Wholesalers for five years, became involved in many different organisations and associations in the area, also helping farmers with their accounts. He earned a reputation for organising things well and people often turned to him for help with their events. Attention to detail became his trademark.

He was an active member of Pembroke Farmers Club and Club Leader for South Pembrokeshire Young Farmers Club for around eight years, leading the club to a win for the whole of the UK in the Variety Show competition. He was never shy at being dressed up in pieces of newspaper or painted green for the Incredible Hulk as part of one of the competitions. John helped with the organisation of ploughing matches for South Pembs Ploughing Association for 20 years and with the Pembroke Show. In 2001 he was awarded a shield for his services to agriculture, by Pembroke Farmers Club for all the valuable work he had done.

Always community spirited, he was a Treasurer of the Freshwater East Community Association. He belonged to Manorbier Gardening Club, although in his words 'he only cut the grass' and enjoyed many lunches with friends at Lamphey Luncheon Club. He also helped with projects for the Graham Sutherland Gallery, including a journey with a Preseli stone to Stonehenge.

John took a great interest in Gillian's art and they were members of Tenby Arts Club, Pembroke Arts Club and Tenby Museum and also enjoyed trips to Fishguard to take part in exhibitions there. John had a strong partnership with Gillian, helping to catalogue her paintings, taking notes or photographs and enjoying painting trips and holidays together.

Throughout his social life in Pembrokeshire, he and Gillian continued their love of dancing, often being invited to functions to start the dancing off or going on dancing holidays around the country. John especially liked the quickstep or a slow foxtrot.

John is remembered as a true gentleman, a loving family man with a beaming smile and mischievous sense of humour, always ready to help and to talk to people he met.

The funeral took place on Thursday February 15 at Lamphey Parish Church, officiated by Reverend Peter Jones, followed by burial at St. Michael's Cemetery. John will be greatly missed by his beloved wife Gillian; daughter Susan (and Bob); son Keith and daughter-in-law Alison; brother Geoffrey; grandsons James and Marcus; niece and nephews Rachel, David and Roger and families, plus wider family and many friends.

There were beautiful flowers at the funeral from family and friends. The funeral was carried out by John Roberts & Son, 51 Bush Street, Pembroke Dock.

Mrs M E Thomas

Haverfordwest

 Elizabeth Thomas (Betty) was born in Pembroke on Wednesday January 28 1925 to George and Nellie Wood. George, a former “desert rat” in the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry had joined the Pembrokeshire Constabulary so Betty spent early years in several locations throughout the county including, St David’s, Spittal, Goodwick and Fishguard where she attended the convent school.

In her early teens the family were based at Haverfordwest living in the police station in the castle. War time saw her take up voluntary work before starting employment in the tax office.

During this time Betty met Lewis, who had also lived in the castle, when his grandfather was the local police inspector.

They married in 1949, by which time Lewis had taken a position of classics master in Haverfordwest Grammar School.

In the first year of marriage they again lived in the castle while building a new house in Queensway in Haverfordwest.

Whilst building, along came Richard so with some urgency they moved into the house in 1951 and hired an au pair whilst both continued working.

They also took in a lodger, the local artist David Lindley.

William arrived in 1954 and Betty became a full-time housewife.

During this period Betty was involved in numerous organisations within the town, but also appeared on several “catwalks” modelling clothes for local retailers such as Ocky White and T P Hughes.

As money was tight Betty furnished the house by attending local auctions, again with a good eye for a bargain, the home was soon filled with quality antique furnishing.

Her artistic flair was shown in painting, drawing and pottery.

Floral Art came to the fore in the seventies when Betty would transform the interiors of local churches with displays for open days or weddings; this was an art she went on to teach to local ladies for several years.

The following years saw Betty first, looking after her father then her mother as they aged also supplying meals to some of the older widowed ladies in Queensway, some of them being no older than her.

In later years Betty worked as an usher in the Crown Court in Haverfordwest, she and Lewis worked in the Court until their late seventies and still spent time on Broad Haven when the grandchildren visited armed with a picnic sufficient to feed half the beach.

After suffering a heart attack in 2001 things slowed down a bit and after losing Lewis in 2012 they slowed further, but Betty still attended the occasional dinner.

She lived the life she and Lewis chose enjoying their home and family in their beloved Pembrokeshire.

She passed away on February 14 and the funeral service was at Parc Gwyn Crematorium on February 27 and an interment at Prendergast Church on March 1, both officiated by Rev. Marianne Osbourne.

Immediate family mourners were Richard and William (sons) and Gethin and Lowri (grandchildren).