Husband’s tribute to ‘my angel’ Gemma
AHUSBAND has paid tribute to the kind and caring ‘angel’ he married just two days before her death.
Gemma Greenwood, née Epstein, passed away on December 20, aged 37, two days after marrying Ben in a small ceremony in her hospice bedroom.
Gemma, of Grane Road, Haslingden, had battled cancer for three years.
Ben and Gemma, who had known each other 15 years, raised funds to pay for a course of immunotherapy treatment in Germany in November. But she was too unwell to make the journey.
The couple, who had planned all along to wed once Gemma was well again, decided to go ahead and get married at Pendleside Hospice just before Christmas.
“We decided we just wanted to do it, it was time,” Ben said.
“She got to dress up nice, in white pyjamas, and had her nails and make-up done, and we married in her hospice room with eight to 10 close friends and family. The staff at the hospice were fantastic, I can’t give them enough thanks.
“Around 30 to 40 people came to visit her in her room throughout that evening, all these people who loved her.”
Gemma was initially diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and underwent surgery and a sixmonth course of chemotherapy.
However the cancer spread to her lungs and she had to have another two courses of chemotherapy via a drip.
As the tumours continued to grow, Gemma, who worked as a vet’s recep- tionist in Bury, was given a course of the drug Avastin. She decided to stop chemotherapy and tried radiotherapy as the cancer reached her brain.
The disease spread to Gemma’s liver and pelvic bones, and Ben said after that Gemma, ‘deteriorated really quickly’.
“She kept fighting, but nothing seemed to work, it just kept spreading,” said Ben, who works as a farrier.
“She was a lovely person, she was kind and caring, she was my angel.
“When we got married it was the happiest day she’d had in a long while.
“Gemma was full of life, she loved her two dogs, Pepper and Jet.”
Gemma leaves her hus- band Ben, her mum Diane, sister Rebecca, brother Marc, and extended family.
Her funeral will be held on Monday, January 7, with a service at St James Parish Church, Haslingden, at 1pm. Mourners are asked to wear blue, Gemma’s favourite colour.
GERTRUDA GEDZIELEWSKI
MRS Gertruda Gedzielewski, of Grane Street, Haslingden died on Wednesday, December 26 at Pendleside Hospice, aged 90.
She was the widow of the late Stanislaw, her husband for 50 years, and will be sadly missed by her son Janusz, daughter Halina, grandchildren Sarah, Emma, Charlotte, Kate and Oliver, greatgrandchildren Isobel and Isaac and all her family and friends.
Gertruda was born in south east Poland but at the age of 11 at the outset of the Second World War her family was deported into Russia.
Over the next two years the family was further moved into the harsh climates of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
However a change in Russian strategy allowed Polish refugees to leave and Gertruda’s family continued their journey, eventually arriving in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) where she was able to finish her high school learning over the next five years. She loved life in Africa.
After the war ended her family arrived in England, re-uniting with their father and initially settling near Hereford.
Her first job was at the Worcester Porcelain factory.
After meeting her future husband who worked in Lancashire, she married and moved to Haslingden.
Gertruda worked in the textile industry until her retirement.
Outside of her family, she was an excellent cook, loved ballroom dancing with Stanislaw and enjoyed holidaying abroad.
A Requiem Mass will be held at Haslingden St Mary’s RC Church on Wednesday, January 9 at 11am.
All donations should be to Pendleside Hospice, Burnley.
Funeral director: Johnson, Durning and Woods.
MICHAEL GREENWOOD GEE
MR Michael Greenwood Gee, of Dobbin Court, Cloughfold formerly of Bacup, died peacefully at home on Christmas Day aged 77.
Born in Bacup where he lived most of his life, he moved to Cloughfold 16 years ago.
He was employed as a demolition site manager until his retirement.
In his younger days he played football for Bacup Borough and The Irwell Inn and also enjoyed playing darts and socialising.
He leaves his partner Betty, daughters Sharon, Deborah and her husband Phil, grandchildren Karl, Josh, Bethan and Dominic, greatgrandchildren Jack and Harriet, nephews, nieces and many friends.
A service will be held at the Chapel of Rest on Tuesday, January 8 at 10.40am followed by cremation at Burnley at 11.20am conducted by Mr Peter Cox.
Family flowers only with donations in lieu to Rossendale Hospice and the Air Ambulance.
Funeral director: Anthony Johnson Funeral Services Ltd, Bacup.
DORIS WYNNE
MRS Doris Wynne, of Cherry Tree Lodge Residential Home, Rawtenstall, formerly of Croft Street, Bacup, died peacefully on Saturday, December 22 in the Royal Blackburn Hospital, aged 93.
Born in Levenshulme, Manchester she came to live in Bacup as a young girl.
For many years she worked at Horrock’s Bakery in Bacup and also as a school dinner lady at Blackthorn School.
A lifelong parishioner at Trinity Baptist Church, Doris enjoyed knitting but mostly being surrounded by her loving family.
Widow of the late Jim who died four years ago, and mother of the late Peter, she leaves daughter Carole, grandchildren Catherine and her husband Ed, Robert and his partner Sheryl, Chris and his wife Lisa, great-grandchildren Freya, Woody, Mabel and Finnlay, nephews, nieces and many friends.
A service will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, Bacup on Wednesday, January 9 at 1.15pm, followed by cremation at Burnley at 2.20pm conducted by Rev David Livermore.
Family flowers only are requested with donations in lieu to The British Heart Foundation.
Funeral director: Anthony Johnson Funeral Services Ltd, Bacup.
GEMMA GREENWOOD
MRS Gemma Victoria Greenwood nee Epstein, of Grane Road, Haslingden died on Thursday, December 20 at Pendleside Hospice, aged 37.
Gemma was originally from Middleton and worked as a vets receptionist for ARMAC Bury.
She married her husband Ben on December 18 at Pendleside Hospice.
She leaves her husband Ben, her mum Diane, sister Rebecca, brother Marc, mother-in-law Mary and sister-in-law Amy, grandma Murial, nephew and nieces.
When Gemma became ill, fundraising was started for her cancer treatment, which was well received and supported by many, the remaining proceeds will go to charities of Gemma’s choice.
Both families wish to thank everyone for their support, too many to thank individually.
Gemma’s funeral will take place on Monday, January 7 with a service at St James Parish Church, Haslingden at 1pm, followed by interment at Haslingden Cemetery, officiated by Fr David Stephenson.
Family request that mourners wear blue, Gemma’s favorite colour.
Donations in memory of Gemma are for Pendleside Hospice.
Funeral director: Josephine Durning for Johnson, Durning and Woods Funeral Service.
JIM BRELSFORD
MR Jim Brelsford died in hospital, after a sudden and short illness on Saturday, December 29, aged 85.
He was well known having lived in Loveclough all his life and worked at the former CPA factory for 30 years.
Prior to retiring he was the steward at Loveclough Top Club (formerly Loveclough Working Men’s Club) for 15 years.
As a husband and father he had wife Eunice and children Valerie (late), Stephen, Karen, Mark, and Richard along with 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
He led an active life throughout, keeping himself physically fit with walking and gardening. He was a keen fisherman and frequently travelled abroad, both of which were curbed by progressive visual impairment.
All his friends and acquaintances are more than welcome to join the family for the service and ‘wake’ at the Loveclough Top Club along with the burial at Rawtenstall Cemetery.
Due to the holidays a funeral date has yet to be set, details of which will be available shortly by contacting Mark on 01706 224859.
Family flowers only, any donations will or can be forwarded to the RNIB, a charity which helped him on numerous occasions during his later years.
ALAN MILLER
MR Alan George Miller, of Hardman Avenue, Rawtenstall, died on Friday, December 28, at Royal Blackburn Hospital, aged 86.
Alan was a retired builder and in his spare time he was a keen gardener.
He leaves his wife Kathleen, sons Craig, Gary and Lance, his sisters Christine and Joyce, grandchildren, nephews and nieces.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday, January 9, officiated by Father Anthony McBride, with Requiem Mass at St James the Less RC Church at 11am followed by interment at Rawtenstall Cemetery. Flowers are desired. Donations can be made via funeral director Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer.
ELIZABETH HARRISON
ELIZABETH Joan Harrison, known as Joan, of Bacup Road, Waterfoot, died on Wednesday, December 26, at Fairfield General Hospital, aged 90.
Joan was a district nurse in the Rossendale area.
In her spare time she enjoyed travelling with her husband John, watching sport, and she was a keen and accomplished knitter.
She was a member of the Mothers’ Union and St Anne’s Church, Edgeside.
Wife of the late John (deceased 1997) and mother to the late Geoff (deceased 2012) she leaves son Paul.
Born in Shropshire, she settled in Rossendale for over 70 years, initially in Haslingden but then in Waterfoot.
The funeral will take place on Tuesday, January 8, at St Anne’s Church, Edgeside at 12.30pm, conducted by the Reverend Rod Bevan.
Immediate family flowers only please, donations are requested to the North West Air Ambulance and the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Funeral director: Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer Funeral Services.
KENNETH MARSHALL
MR Kenneth Malcolm Marshall, of Hardman Close, Cowpe, Rossendale, died on Friday, December 21, at Pendleside Hospice, aged 83.
Kenneth was a joinery director at JJO.
In his spare time he enjoyed gardening, golf and holidays at home and abroad.
He was the Resident Trade Employers Association president from 1985 to 1987.
He leaves daughters Tracy and Tina, grandchildren Natasha, Kira, Rhiannon and Kellen, Siobhan and Georgina, 11 greatgrandchildren, stepdaughter Zoe and step-grandchildren Amy and Zoe, sons-in-law Ian and David, fiancee Anne and best friend George.
The funeral will take place on Tuesday, January 8, with service and cremation at Burnley Crematorium at 10.40am, conducted by the minister David Ireland.
Family flowers only please, donations are requested to Rossendale Hospice.
Funeral director: Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer Funeral Services.
JEAN CORNTHWAITE
JEAN Cornthwaite nee Smith, of Wooley Lane, Baxenden, Accrington, died on Thursday, December 27, aged 70.
Jean started work aged 15 years at Boots the chemist in Haslingden, a job she really enjoyed.
After some time she felt the need to broaden her horizons and took an office job at Cordingley & Sons Car Dealers in Haslingden. Whilst working there she met her husband to be Gordon and they were later married in 1967.
She also did voluntary work at the Citizen Advice Bureau in Haslingden for seven years before taking a part time job as a welfare advice officer at Age Concern in Accrington. She took early retirement at 51 years of age to look after her grandchildren.
Jean loved tending her garden. She was an animal lover, particularly cats and gave many strays a good home.
Along with her husband Gordon, she enjoyed many cruises to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. She also enjoyed days out to Blackpool and St Annes. She liked watching the ‘soaps’ on TV especially Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
Jean leaves her husband Gordon, sons Stephen and David and their wives Linda and Natalie.
She also leaves her grandchildren Ella, Tabitha, Lydia, Ben and Ed and her brother Brian and sister-in-law Sheila.
The funeral will take place on Monday, January 7, at 1.45pm at St John’s CE, Baxenden, followed by a cremation at Accrington Crematorium, Burnley Road, Accrington, officiated by Rev Tom Donaghey.
Family flowers only please.
Donations requested for Macmillan Cancer Support or East Lancs Hospice c/o funeral director Peter Regan, Hyndburn Funeral Services, Queens Road, Accrington.
ALAN HIGHAM
MR Alan Higham, of Townsend Street, Waterfoot, died on Sunday, December 30, aged 82, at Royal Blackburn Hospital.
He served in the Army, then worked down the pits at Deerplay, then at David Whitehead and Ilex Mill in the weaving industry.
He then worked as a driver in the meat industry for Edmund Ashworths and retired from Valley Supplies.
He enjoyed pottering around with cars, wrestling, football and rugby and socialising with friends.
Alan leaves wife Ann, sons Anthony, Michael and David, stepson Andrew, daughter Susan and stepdaughter Christine, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, brothers and sisters and their families.
A funeral will be held on Friday, January 11, at Burnley Crematorium at 1pm.
Family flowers only, donations welcome to Lymphoma Action via funeral director Dawn Winfield for Fred Hamer Funeral Service.
Sadly on the 27th December, 2018 Jean passed away at home, surrounded by her loving family aged 70 Years The funeral service will take place on Monday 7th January, 2019 1:45 pm at St John's Church, Baxenden followed by a committal at Accrington Crematorium, Burnley Road Officiated by Rev Tom Donaghey Family Flowers only Donations, if desired, in memory of Jean to Macmillan Cancer Support or East Lancs Hospice c/o Hyndburn Funeral Services, Queens Road, Accrington, BB5 6DR. Tel: 01254 233133 Funeral Director: Peter Regan