‘A teacher through and through’
A funeral service was held at All Saints Church in West Farleigh on Monday for Alice Wakefield. Mrs Wakefield, who was known as Pip, was the village’s oldest resident when she died in the early hours of September 1. She was 104.
Born during the First World War in Gatley, near Manchester, she trained as a teacher at St Mary’s Training College in Bangor, Wales.
On graduating, she moved to West Malling where she taught at the Boys’ School in the High Street until the 1950s.
Then headship of West Farleigh School came up – with on-site accommodation – and she moved there.
She retired when the school closed but remained until her death living in the house next door which she had bought with companion and fellow teacher, the late Sylvia Whittle. Her community activities included serving as parish clerk, secretary to the Parochial Church Council, conductor of the village choir, church organist and the village cricket club’s scorer.
She was a great supporter of charities, particularly Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, raising more than £50,000 for the cause. Mrs Whittle was deaf and they had their own succession of trained dogs, which Mrs Wakefield loved.
She was a keen traveller, enjoyed gardening and also played the baby-grand piano. She died in her own bed, never having had an extended stay in hospital or nursing home, and she left no close relatives.
Her neighbour Tim Hill said: “Pip didn’t indulge much in small talk – discussion usually had to be meaningful, concrete. “Perhaps this was because she was a teacher through and through.
“But she had great courage. “She had lived on Lower Road for more than 60 years and her passing both calls to mind and illustrates the deep changes that have occurred in the village. “It was a privilege to have known her and she will be missed.”