Adored by hundreds of children she cared for
MY MUM CHRISTINE
MY MUM was one of those people who touched the lives of others without ever even realising it. She was born in Einbeck, Germany, in 1946, the result of a love affair between her German mother, who was the widow of a German officer, and her English father, who was in the British Army. Her parents married in 1948 and moved to North London, then to Hertfordshire, where my mum grew up. Their marriage was not always happy and her mother was frequently unwell and unable to cope with five children. Being the eldest, my mum often cared for her siblings. That desire to nurture seemed to be hardwired into her. She made a career in childcare and she was at her happiest with children around her. For the last 30 years she ran her own playgroup in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, where hundreds of children benefited from her hands-on kindness and infinite patience. She adored her job and always said the biggest reward was the love the children showed her. She was ‘Auntie Christine’ to them and even the most stubborn child could be transformed just by sitting on her lap. When she died there were cards, flowers and messages from children she’d cared for who were now at secondary school and beyond. At home, she was simply Mum, our guide and mentor. She would always have the answer — and a hug — no matter how big the problem. My dad, Claus, is German too and they were introduced as pen pals by a cousin. We celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last year. To my mum’s five grandchildren, she will be remembered as the best nanny in the world. We lost our rock on January 20, 2018, as cancer overwhelmed her. My sister and I were with her. Her absence has created a huge void, which we hope, in time, we can fill with happy memories of a truly amazing woman.
Christine Gertrud neiseke, born August 3, 1946, died January 20, 2018, aged 71.