Janet Tonks (16 Oct 1945 - 23 Feb 2026)

Our lovely Mum, Granny & friend, Janet, sadly passed away on 23rd February 2026.

Mum adored her children and five grand children. She was the kindest, most thoughtful & fun Mum when Julia & Tom were children. We all have fabulous memories of her, of her fearless adventures as 'Explorer Granny', of her delicious homemade soups & crumbles & of Mum in her stunning garden. Mum was often out there from sunrise until sunset, tending, weeding & enjoying a relaxing but tiring day. She could tell us about so many plants & how to look after them & we hope to continue to take care of many of her fabulous plants in the future. They will continue to bring us much enjoyment & comfort.

A huge animal lover, Mum would often chat & pet passing cats & dogs ... & the odd parrot! During her many exotic travels Mum bathed an elephant, an experience that stayed with her forever. She stroked a croc, hugged a kangaroo, wore a snake as a scarf & encountered numerous pesky monkeys.

Mum, Janet was always a walker, even when we were children she would wake early to walk our dog, Zimba then come home, change & walk a couple of miles to work & then back home again at the end of the day. She was such an active lady, forever loving to visit the coast & swim in the sea. She swam regularly in a pool too as well as enjoying scuba diving for years, in wonderful waters such as Malta, Majorca, Egypt & Australia. Mum loved these diving trips, her fabulous scuba friends & the many laughs & adventures they had together.

Our busy Mum was always open to new experiences. When Mum was 6 years old she happily practiced a Puss in Boots play with her big sister, Tricia, who was a Brownie & had the star role as Puss in Boots. They practiced so often that they both knew the whole play & everyone's parts perfectly. When it came closer to the big performance night many of the cast were struck down with sickness. Tricia told the Brownie leaders that her little sister could step in to help & low & behold Mum became a little Miller with a cotton wool beard for the performance. She was word perfect. Many decades later when Mum was in her 60s, she joined the Nods, a local theatre group & she enjoyed this immensely, the highlight being her role as a dancer in Stepping Out. Mum rehearsed & rehearsed for the part & was a neat tap dancer after that.

After retiring, Mum joined the gym & enjoyed dance, yoga, aqua aerobics & swimming there as well as the regular meetups in the cafe afterwards for coffee & of course, cake. Over the years Mum & her gym friends also enjoyed meals out & visits to the theatre together.

Mum was a giver. She volunteered for Treetops Hospice for 20 years & was also a dedicated magistrate.

More recently, Mum joined Ovacome, the UK's ovarian cancer support charity & Active Recovery at DCCT, a local group for people who have undergone cancer treatment to regain confidence, fitness & strength. The support, friendship & shared knowledge of the people she met was so important to Mum.

Mum thought the world of her friends & loved her family. She enjoyed nothing more than meeting up to chat over a coffee & cake.

Mum has left a lasting mark on all of us, she is truly missed and her memory will be cherished forever.

Mum asked for family flowers only at her funeral. If you would like to make a donation in Mum's memory, she chose Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People, a cause that was very close to her heart.

Please click to let us know if you will be attending Mum's funeral.

In loving memory of Janet Tonks who sadly passed away on 23rd February 2026