Marylou Button (Passed away 23 May 2025)

In loving memory
Marylou Button
March 23rd 1931-May 23rd, 2025

I will remember her stories about the poor girl from Malta, 5th in a family of 6, who shared shoes with her sisters. Her Mother was a devout catholic who raised her to follow her strong beliefs but it was her ‘Hope’ that always stood out to me. She never had much, and never wanted much but like the name of the street where she was born, she always had Hope and was inspired particularly after seeing her brothers and sisters make successful new lives in Australia and the United States.
However, after school, mum initially stayed in Malta and worked at the Naval Office. She had lived at home with her mother who was strict and demanded most of her wages as board. She hoped to meet a suitable man to fall in love with and she often went dancing in the hope of one day being whisked off her feet and taken away.
As well as Hope, mum was full of determination, and eventually decided to leave Malta, going to work in the UK, then later on an epic trip to the US, touring the west coast and meeting family, new and old. Mum had met dad while working in London as a typist and they had enjoyed work dances together. Dad had even proposed before she left for America, so when she returned several months later on board the Queen Mary, she must have decided where her true love lay but perhaps what really made her sure were the hundreds of love letters dad had sent her every day whilst away, which she lovingly kept safe with all her other mementos to this day.
They were married in Hemel Hempstead, later that year in 1964. When they had me 4 years later, they moved to a new home Gadebridge where Mum raised me fulltime whilst Dad commuted to London every day…and they still continued dancing. They instilled their sense of hope in me too, of working hard and never giving up, even as their own lives ebbed and flowed with modern life and parenthood. They would make many friends in Hemel, and more still when they moved to Cheltenham and to Gloucester, whether neighbours, other parents, guitar group or fellow churchgoers- Some of whom are still here today.
Mum was sociable, fun loving and easily made friends. She loved being around young happy likeminded people, anyone with whom she could have a good laugh and they would often have regular parties and go dancing or enjoy meals together. Despite moving she would always try keep in contact with everyone and I will always remember the mountain of Christmas cards that would appear each year and think it amazing to know so many people.

Mum loved the UK and got her citizenship but holidays in Malta remained a regular highlight, not only to reaffirm connections with family but to temporarily experience the pleasures and easy going familiarity of being back home -but particularly the sunshine and the beaches!
Mum had always enjoyed cooking and made one of the meanest pizzas I’ve known but when I left home to study it became an obsession along with gardening too. I will always remember the video cabinet rammed with cassettes of just about every recording going from various tv cooking and gardening shows.
As she and dad both got older, their bodies would succumb to various ailments, including suffering a stroke but undeterred she remained hopeful for the future.
With retirement came opportunities including a trip to Greece to visit one of her best friends from her time working in London and another trip back to the US this time with Dad to visit the ever-expanding family and go on a lengthy road trip through southern and western coastal states.
At some point, the house had become too big and too much work so they had planned to move near the coast but couldn’t make up their minds where to. When Dad passed away mum was suddenly deeply lost, living in a big house alone surrounded by memories and belongings she found difficult to give up and move on from.
She would move to Southampton to a retirement community but never fully integrated and began needing more and more help. After lapsing, she made the effort to attend church again, perhaps fearing her own mortality but after several more falls and other complications & false alarms she would move into Netley Court where she spent her last year.

She remained young at heart throughout most of life, sharing her smile and good spirits, but as she got older and life became more challenging at the age of 94, suffering from dementia her fading health and condition overcame her.

Just before she passed away, I had compiled most of her photos into albums for her to look over again and it gave me a chance to reflect on what a nice life she had, and I smile and hope she left happy with her life too.

After the cremation, I think it would be nice to eventually return her ashes to Malta, so that she can rest in peace, as she had hoped, back in her spiritual home near where she grew up in Mosta - and back under the mediterranean sun she loved so much.