Bleed was cause of ex-teacher’s death
‘She was loved and respected – it was a shock’
Tributes have been paid to a pillar of the community who died unexpectedly of a brain haemorrhage.
An inquest held at the Archbishop’s Palace on Tuesday heard that retired teacher Jeanette Ardley’s death last month was brought on by medication prescribed to treat her heart conditions.
Mrs Ardley, the chair of governors at Douglas Road’s St Michael’s Infant and Junior school, was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease and heart failure at the end of last year.
The 73-year-old vicar’s widow appeared to be making good progress and was in regular contact with her doctor at the Vine Medical Centre in Tonbridge Road. However, in July, after having a meal with her son, Mrs Ardley, of Bower Lane, Maidstone, began to display signs of a stroke and was taken to Maidstone Hospital where she underwent a CT scan.
Doctors discovered she was suffering from a brain haemorrhage and hours later Mrs Ardley, a key member of the congregation at St Michael and All Angels’ Church, passed away.
Sara Dray, a member of the church, said: “She was a hard working, loved and respected member of our church and the secretary of our parochial church council. She had been sourcing the priests to see us through the period since April where we have been without one and did the same for two years after Father Paul left. During that period we only had one Sunday without a priest.
“Her death came as a huge shock to us all.
“We had been having tea with her that morning and she seemed to be recovering from last year’s illness.”
Assistant coroner Kate Thomas ruled Mrs Ardley’s death was the result of natural causes.