Tribute to Nan (written by her Grandchildren - Kevin, Karen, Nikki, Lorraine & Debs). Good afternoon, Thank you all so much for coming today to join in the celebration of the wonderful Jean Elizabeth Smith, or as I know her, Nanny Jean. I think I will know most of you but for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Lorraine and I am Jean’s granddaughter. I am truly honoured to be giving this tribute in Nanny’s memory on behalf of her 5 grandchildren - myself, Nikki, Debs, Kevin and Karen. We would like to take a moment to share our wonderful memories of Nanny. First, we all know that these are challenging times that we are living in. So before I begin, I wanted to say a thank you to you all for being here today whether it is in person or joining us online. It means the world to us and I know it would have meant the world to Nanny. Nanny was a kind, happy and cheerful lady with a huge heart and an amazing sense of humour. Our times spent together have always been full of fun and laughter. She was an excellent cook, a great homemaker and a devoted wife and mother, Nanny and Great-Nanny. Family was an important part of Nanny’s life. She came from a large family and she was the second youngest of six children having 4 brothers and 1 sister. Nan was born and raised in Shaftesbury in Dorset and she always talked fondly of her time spent in this part of the country. Nanny and Grandad lived in their home on Galmington Road in Taunton for 46 years, until Grandad passed away. We all have extremely fond memories of their home and the fun we had on their back lawn, bouncing up and down on an orange space hopper. Their garden was their pride and joy and rightly so. Nan and Grandad were so fortunate to have each other and in her later years when Nan had dementia she was lovingly cared for by Grandad, together with my mum, Caroline, who ensured that she was safe and comfortable and this was what enabled her to remain in their home for as long as she did. Nanny would always welcome us with open arms and a big hug . She was very caring and open minded, there was love for all without judgement. She understood each of our personalities and respected us for who we are. She was a great listener and also we enjoyed many an in depth conversation about all sorts of topics, from pop music to politics. Despite not being fluent in French, on many occasions, Nan would pick up on conversations spoken in French between Kevin and Karen, much to their surprise and sometimes embarrassment, depending on what was being discussed! Nanny’s handbag was like Mary Poppin’s, full of surprises, and she was always prepared for any eventuality. There was always a treat to hand, our favourites were the Werther’s Originals and Polos. She packed the perfect picnic and there was always a Thermos flask of tea in the boot of the car. Of course, no day was complete without an ice cream, something which Nanny could never refuse. She had the best stocked larder around with all sorts of goodies. The panic buyers of 2020 have nothing on Nanny, it is almost as if she was preparing for a pandemic, with enough toilet rolls to last a decade! Both Nanny and Grandad were young at heart, they loved to laugh and entertain. There was always something happening or a funny story to tell. This would often be at Grandad’s expense or as a result of his mischief and the phrase ‘you silly old bugger’ became one of her catchphrases. They complimented each other with their wit and really were the perfect team. Nanny was in her element when she was around children. Her face would light up and she was a natural at making them laugh and keeping them entertained. When we were little she would always go the extra-mile to amuse us with games and toys. She was happy to get down on her hands and knees to join in on the fun. Nan was very house proud and loved to entertain. Their home was always open to welcome guests from far and wide; from budding cyclists to cousins from Australia. She would lay on a great spread of food at the drop of a hat and enjoyed preparing home cooked food, often using the fruit and vegetables grown in their garden. The pressure in the kitchen would often reach boiling point and that wasn’t just from the pressure cooker! Everyone enjoyed Nan’s delicious soups. Lunch at Nan and Grandad’s was always a treat and often involved a three course meal, no matter what day of the week it was. Nan liked to keep her mind sharp with crosswords and jigsaw puzzles, whilst watching her all time favourite soap, Coronation Street. Together with Grandad, she was quite a competitor in the skittle alley, winning trophies that took pride of place on the mantelpiece, which we were all very proud of. Nan and Grandad enjoyed many holidays in their caravan. Their favourite spots were in Dorset and France where they would visit family and friends. They were members of the Camping and Caravanning Club and made many friends who they would holiday with for many years. We have many happy memories with them in their caravan. Nanny lived with dementia during the later years of her life. Her last two and a half years were spent at Chelston Gardens Nursing Home where she was very well cared for. We have fond memories of the time we spent with her there and the fun times we shared. Despite having dementia, Nan never lost the essence of who she was. Her sense of humour and cheekiness always shone through. She enjoyed jokes and it was a joy to see her beautiful smile,. Although Nan eventually struggled to communicate with words, we continued to enjoy singing old songs and nursery rhymes together, which always got her moving and made her giggle. The memory of us singing along to these songs, together with her Great-Grandchildren makes us smile. Last September brought a special milestone with Nan celebrating her 90th birthday with a gathering of family and friends, including her family from France. We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea party and Nan had not one, but two birthday cakes, and of course, two renditions of Happy Birthday. She had a lot of help from her great grandchildren to blow out the candles on her cakes! Nanny was a force to be reckoned with and she was a very strong lady.. She dealt with whatever was thrown her way, from having cancer in her early 80s to breaking her hip just a couple of years ago. She was extremely resilient and a real fighter, which was more evident than ever in her final days. Although this year has brought many challenges, we are thankful to the staff at Chelston Gardens for their understanding and kindness in allowing us to spend time with Nan during her final days. This precious time spent together over the last few months means a lot to us and hopefully provided some comfort to Nanny. Nanny will always be in our hearts and we will cherish all of the wonderful times we shared. Memories which we will share with our own children and future generations. We love you Nanny. Goodbye and Au Revoir.

Dear Nan Before saying goodbye I would like to tell you how special you are to me and thank you for all the Loving, Caring, Affectionnate, and Funny moments that i have had the chance to share with you. I wish you love and happiness wherever you go All my love so dear to my heart Nanny Jean Karen

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