My parents met Rose during the war, my mother Pearl was in the Land Army with her and my father Jim first met her when he was home on leave from the Royal Marines. I know they had lots of fun in the Land Army and got into many a scrape. The friendship they formed during this period lasted until the death of my parents. Rose was a highly valued and much loved friend to them both.

I knew her all my life. My first memories are of visiting her house in Waltham Cross when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Since then she has been a constant presence in my life even though I didn't always see her so often. When my father died I took Pearl to visit her and after my mother's death I continued to visit. All these occasions were filled with fun, laughter, reminiscences and lots to eat and drink. Now at the age of 71 years the world is going to feel a strange place without Rose in it.

Throughout an extraordinary century she lived an ordinary life but in a most extraordinary way - with an abundance of love, vitality, humour, kindness and quiet determination. 

Janet Pedder