Hundreds mourn devoted community stalwart Sharron

Much-loved parish councillor dies aged 58

Mourners packed a funeral service for a loved and respected parish councillor who dedicated her life to the community.

Almost 200 people turned out for Sharron Hogben at Barham Crematorium on Monday following her untimely death from ovarian cancer, aged 58.

The mum-of-two was chairman of the planning committee on Sturry Parish Council but also involved in numerous organisations in the village.

She had previously worked as a dinner lady at the former Frank Hooker school, which she attended as a teenager, and was chairman of Sturry pre-school.

She was also treasurer of the Ohana Bike Club, which organises the motorcycle Easter Egg Run to children’s wards, as well as other events.

Sharron came to Sturry as a teenager and soon met her lifelong love and husband, John, while chatting over the CB radio, using the handle Cherry

B, which led to their first date.

After a short courtship, the couple married in 1983 and went on to have two children, Jonathan and Katy.

Sharron variously worked for Sainsbury’s and Barretts, as well as at the village bakery.

In recent years she had become the “backbone” of her husband’s haulage business, JW Haulage, working as transport manager at its Dover depot.

But her life was to be cut short by sudden illness, which was first thought to be gallstones but transpired to be advanced ovarian cancer.

She was about to undergo chemotherapy when she collapsed at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and sadly died on November 24.

“It was just short of our 40th Christmas together,” said John, who is also a parish councillor and lives in Hoath Road.

“She particularly loved everything about Christmas and dressed up as Mrs Claus on an open-topped bus which used to tour Sturry giving treats to kids.

“As well as everything she did for the community, she was a brilliant wife, mum and proud grandmother who doted on her five grandchildren.”

“I think it was a mark of the respect and affection she was held in that so many people came to her funeral.

“The cortège, which included lorries and bikers, passed through the village and they rang the bells of Sturry Church as a mark of respect, which was nice.”

An online fundraiser set up in Sharron’s name raised £3,000 for charity Target Ovarian Cancer.

Sharron Hogben with her family

Sharron Hogben has died