Tributes to ‘caring’ great-gran after battle with Covid
HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a great-grandmother who died with coronavirus at the age of 84.
Elizabeth Rose Hendry, a grandmother to 22 and a greatgrandmother to 21, was described as “full of life and energy”, and as a person who doted on her family.
Born in Aberdare, Rose spent much of her working life in the Army and was once a member of the Secret Service during a spell posted in Cyprus.
It was there that she met her husband, William, and they went on to have five children together named Lesley, Haulwen, Billy, Neil and KerryLyn.
The family spent time living in Scotland, where their two eldest children were born, and England where William became a “highly-respected” catering officer in the prison service.
They then moved to Cardiff in the 1970s where they remained ever since.
Daughter Haulwen Hendry said she will remember her mum as an incredibly caring woman who was the heart and soul of the family.
“She was an amazing lady, full of energy right up until the last week when she was taken into hospital,” she said.
“She could out-walk and outrun me, even in her eighties. She was extremely sociable and loved meeting up with people. She also loved to dance and sing.”
On top of having her five children, Rose also decided to foster a 13-year-old boy, Robert Ayres, in the 1980s who now has his own family on the Isle of Man.
“He’s still very much a part of our lives. She treated him like her own,” said Haulwen, who works as a district nurse.
“As well, around 35 years ago we drove up to Scotland and we took my dad’s brother – who has a learning disability – out of a mental institution and he lived with her ever since, even after my father died 12 years ago. She was just an extremely caring woman.”
Haulwen said her mother was close to most of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and would often spend time looking after them.
“At Christmas, you wouldn’t be able to get through the door. It would be full to the brim,” Haulwen recalled.
“You’d have to stand by the door, and my dad and her would hand presents out one by one. It was really amazing.”
Rose, of Cyncoed, who had chronic kidney disease and was a type 2 diabetic, found out in March that she had a cancerous tumour on her bowel.
“We were about to go and see the consultant to discuss her treatment, but with Covid they cancelled it all,” said Haulwen.
“She was doing pretty well with it and it never really bothered her. She remained very independent.
“Up until three weeks before she passed away she was still walking around Pentwyn lake or going up Cefn Onn Park with my daughter and the dog.”
When it was discovered that Rose, who was also anaemic, needed a blood transfusion she was asked to stay overnight at the University Hospital of Wales.
Haulwen said 10 days after that stay, her mother started developing symptoms of Covid-19.
“She had stopped drinking because she didn’t feel like it. Obviously one of the key signs is the lack of taste,” said Haulwen.
“She went in to have some IV fluids, and from there she went to the Covid-positive ward A7 – and they were absolutely fantastic with her.
“She was coping well with it right up until May 12 when she suddenly went downhill as the virus went to her chest.”
Haulwen and her daughter Danielle, who is a nurse in intensive care, were allowed onto the ward in full personal protective equipment to say their goodbyes to Rose, who died on May 13.
Rose’s family now want to share their fond memories of the much-loved great-grandmother – and give their thanks to the dedicated medical staff who looked after her in her final days.
“We felt very privileged to be with her in the hours before she passed away. I cannot thank staff at ward A7 enough for giving us that chance.”
Haulwen said due to social distancing measures, only 11 people were able to be present at her funeral.
“But all the grandchildren went up to the crematorium, and the back doors were open so they could see the service – and they streamed it online as well,” she said.
“Her funeral would have been huge had she been able to have one.”