Peggy passes away aged 87

Peggy Gwendoline Upton (nee Ward) passed away on March 6 in Hertford.

Peggy was born in Sandgate, Kent, in 1921 and spend her childhood in the village of Headcorn, also in Kent.

Her talent for art was evident from an early age and her ambition was to become an architect. She started a course in Maidstone, but times were hard and the family needed an extra income. So Peggy, in her usual selfless manor, gave up her studies to become a teacher.

During the war she found a position teaching art and drama at a school for evacuees in Long Melford, Suffolk.

There she met two lifelong friends: Morris and Bennet.

During the day, Peggy's classes would often rehearse plays she had written herself, but during the evenings, the inseparable gang of three would seek out dances in the surrounding villages.

After the war, Peggy returned to Headcorn to marry Douglas Upton and have two sons: Tony and Howard.

In 1966, the family moved to Bexhill and as Doug was often away with his work, Peggy often bore the full brunt of raising the family.

She was a devoted wife in a marriage that lasted for more than 60 years, and worked tirelessly to give her boys the best possible start in life.

When Doug retired, they enjoyed travelling together, and Peggy was always the unsung hero behind much of Doug's charity work.

Any spare time she had was devoted to her art and to French classes, where she made many friends.

Peggy liked to keep a record of things: she produced beautifully laid out photo albums and bookcases full of unfathomable diaries. She was also fond of the occasional sherry and even in her latter days played a mean game of crib.

Peggy was a very kind, generous and talented person who will be sadly missed by her family and friends who loved her dearly.

'¢ Peggy's funeral will take place at Eastbourne Crematorium on Wednesday March 18 at 1.45pm.

Donations to Bexhill Friends of the Elderly, c/o Mike Bugden, 2 Eversley Road, Bexhill, TN40 1EY.