Iris was always ‘a bit of a character’

A family have paid tribute to a well-known and much-loved Kennington WI member who passed away last month.

Iris Smith, 95, has been described as a “bit of a character” who always saw the best in people and would help however she could. The great-grandmother had been a long-standing member of Kennington’s WI Market, the Ashford Philatelic Society and a bell-ringer at St Mary’s Parish Church in Ashford.

Born in Walthamstow in 1921, Iris spent the first 30 years of her life in Clapton, London, where she led a very busy life.

She was part of the local tennis club, took piano lessons, led the children in the local Sunday school and learnt to bell-ring at St Matthew’s Church.

She married Harry Smith in 1951, had three children. The family moved to Ashford in 1972 when Harry received a promotion.

Her daughter Barbara Smith said: “Iris was a bit of a character.

“She had a mischievous sense of humour and an uncharacteristically dirty laugh.

“She always saw the best in people and would go out of her way to help them.

“She was very chatty and if an old lady has ever approached you in the supermarket or on the bus and made some funny comment, you can be sure it was Iris.

“Local cab drivers will remember her as the cake lady, who would load their cars very early on a Friday morning to go to Kennington WI.

“She was a regular ringer not only at local churches but in competitions until an inability to safely to get up the belfry stairs forced her to retire.

“She will be sorely missed by all, but we also know she lived a good and happy life.”

Iris leaves behind a brother in Australia, three children, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The funeral service will be a Kennington Church at 1.45pm on Tuesday, July 12, followed by a cremation service at Charing Crematorium at 3.20pm.

Instead of flowers, Iris expressed the wish that people make donations to either the Salvation Army or Cancer Research UK.

‘She will be sorely missed, but we know she lived a happy life’

Iris Smith’s was a long-standing member of the Ashford Philatelic Society and known to many around the town