Isobel Payne (10 May 1943 - 22 Mar 2024)

In loving memory of Isobel Payne who sadly passed away on 22nd March 2024

Isobel was born in Kilkeel in May 1943, which is at the foot of the majestic Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. She spent her childhood on the family farm with her parents and her older brother and sister Willie and Freda. She often talked of her many happy memories of this time growing up on the farm.

She attended Queens University in Belfast where she attained her degree, and then left Northern Ireland in the mid 1960s as a young woman to embark on her career as a teacher. She spent two years in Ghana, Africa teaching at a girl's school. Throughout her life she shared many memories of this experience as it stuck with her as a true highlight of her life.

Once she returned from Ghana, she decided to live in the London area and found employment as a teacher. She met Terry and they were married in 1970 and had two children - Jonathan in 1974 and Sarah in 1975. They settled in the village of Pembury in Kent to raise their children. Isobel worked for many years as a maths teacher at Kent College School for Girls in Pembury. Again, she has always shared happy memories of this time. After she retired she continued to offer private coaching for young people in GCSE maths. She was doing this right up until last year. She really loved to teach.

Isobel found many interests in her retirement years including playing bridge, poetry, book club, volunteering at Scotney Castle and sudoku, to name but a few. Isobel was a truly warm and giving person, and she lighted up any room with her lively personality. She lived a long and colourful life and her loss will be felt by the many people who knew her and enjoyed her company, particularly Terry, Jonathan and Sarah. Our lives have suddenly become a lot quieter now she is not around. She always had a story to tell and was full of ideas of new things she wanted to try. Less than 3 weeks before she passed, she was up in London with Terry, Sarah and Sarah's partner Paul on a visit to The Shard. She remarked how happy she was to be up this tall building and enjoying a beautiful sunny day with panoramic views across the city.

She had been living with cancer for a number of years, and it was being managed, but at the end it unfortunately took a sudden turn for the worse and her decline was quite rapid. She spent her last few days in the wonderful care of the Hospice in the Weald - Cottage Hospice at Five Ashes. Terry, Jonathan, Sarah and Paul were with her throughout, so she was surrounded by those who love her. She passed away peacefully.

We will remember her as a loving wife and a super mum with huge fondness and the sheer joy she brought to our lives. I hope that many of you who knew her will join us in bidding her a fond farewell and celebrating her life on 19 April 2024. Her funeral service will be held at 11am in Pembury Old Church, followed by a wake consisting of a light buffet at the Mercure Hotel Tunbridge Wells in Pembury from 12.30pm.

Please let us know on this page if you would like to attend the church and/or the wake.