Obituaries
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Josephine (Jo) Gilbert (Pointer, 1949-1953)
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Shirley Barton writes:
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I first met Jo in 1949, and we became firm friends and remained so until her death this year. She was very bright but managed to hide this gift very well, as she was a rather “naughty girl” - full of fun, and very brave. The brave streak allowed her to get into quite a few awkward situations! One I particularly remember was a slight disagreement with the Geography teacher. It ended with her running out of the classroom and on to the field below the tennis courts. It made us all feel very anxious as we did not know how she would be able to face returning to the classroom. However, she did - but I cannot remember what the punishment was. Her escapades, compared to a lot of current bad behaviour, were trivial - itching powder and other minor offences but I must say that they were funny to those around her. Her friends loved her and I cannot remember her being mean or unkind to classmates.
Jo left school when she was sixteen and was a nanny, until she was old enough to join the WAAFs. She married and lived in Kent, and had two daughters, Jackie and Maddie. She decided to become a painter and decorator, as several people had asked for her assistance in painting their houses, and she found that she was good at it, and enjoyed it. If she was unable to undertake a job because she lacked the skill, she went to classes and mastered it! She made a great success of her business. She was widely travelled and went on many adventurous holidays.
She spent the last few months of her life in a Nursing Home but, of course, she was not the usual quiet resident. She took on little tasks and had a handicrafts table, where she interested her follow residents in craft work. I quite expected her to be made Manager!
I miss her - no one can take her place.