‘My mum’s wartime love note shows how close they were’
TRIBUTES PAID TO SUNDERLAND CHURCH STALWART
A woman who helped found a Wearside church after love brought her to live in Sunderland has died aged 95.
Doris Brown, nee Jones, met her husband-to-be Herbert in 1944 when she was a petty officer cook in the Wrens and he was a signaller on the HMS Berkeley with the Royal Navy.
Their children say it was “love at first sight” with Doris giving him extra helpings as she served in him the canteen.
After they married in her home county of Glamorgan in South Wales and with the end of the Second World War, they settled in Sunderland, first living in Nookside and Grindon before they moved to Hastings Hill.
Doris, who is mum to Gwyneth Wright, 69, and Glyn, 74, took charge of running the house while Herbert worked as a civil servant and the accountant.
In her spare time she supported the launch of St Tho- mas’s Church in Petersfield Road, Pennywell, which had first been set up behind the bowling green at Grindon Mill before it found its permanent base.
She helped run its Mothers’ Union and young wives group, remaining a member of the parish during her years - today it will host her funeral as friends and family gather to pay their respects to her - and she also worked as a dinner time helper at St Anne’s RC Primary in Pennywell.
Doris died last Tuesday, August 7, following a short illness.
While her family tidied her belongings, they found a series of notes from Herbert to Doris when he was serving in the war, showing the warmth and love between them as they set out on life together.
Gwyneth, who is married to Richard, 76, and mum to Gareth, 38, and Elaine, 36, said: “During the Second World War courtships were short, but theirs was a love match and they managed to celebrate their Golden Wedding in 1994.
“Searching through Mam’s possessions I came across this poem of love, written by Dad while at sea.
“I couldn’t believe he had writtensuchanoteandthatmy Mamhadkeptitalltheseyears. “She was such a loving mam and nanna, a devoted Christian and loved by many.
“She would go the extra mile for anybody and she was always up for having a joke.
“She will be missed so much.”
Doris, who was widowed in 1997 when Herbert died aged 77, also leaves six great-grandchildren and Glyn’s children Rowena, 40, and Anita, 33.
Her funeral will be at St Thomas’s at 11am today.