Wendy Dorothy Daines (20 Jul 1952 - 30 Mar 2019)

I look back to those weekends that we came down to be with you and the girls.
They were always full of excitement and adventure for me. You made that possible by making us feel welcome in your lovely home.

You were my fun Aunty who could always get a giggle out of me and my regret is not seeing more of you in later years.
But the memories I am left with, are some of the favourite and fondest of my childhood and I thank you for that.

You will be missed.

Rest in peace Dear Aunty Wendy xxx

We’ll Go Dancing

Take my hand and we’ll go dancing
Underneath the stars
On a beach that’s only ours
Take my hand and we’ll go dancing
In the shadow of the moon,
Take my hand, Take my hand.
(From the song ‘Take My Hand’ by the group ‘Skerryvore.’

For love and laughter
For empathy and encouragement
For hope and happiness

When she dances, fluid as grace
as she steps between the stars,
a diminished moon watches on.

She may be alone, or solitary
in the crowd, and the dance is everything
as she surrenders,

and she sways, part imagined
part implied, the dance on her lips
as fine drawn laughter.

She is dancing at the corner of your eye
as evening sets in and shadows lengthen.

She is the cloud of starlings as they come in to roost,
a flourish against a cloudless sky.

She is the couplet in a poem you may read
where rhythm blends with memory.

She is the persistence of the waves against the shore
and the cry of the gulls as they circle.

She is the stream that flows into the river
and the river that flows into the sea.

She is the rainbow spray that flies from the water
as it falls into the pool beneath the rocks.

She is the first dance and the last at the wedding.

Driving down to Somerset brought home to me that you are no longer with us. We spent time at each others houses as children, you were Tigger to my Owl, always full of energy while I craved a few minutes peace to read a book.
More recently Mike and I spent a magical day with you on Exmoor, with Hayley, Hannah and a small Rachel, ending with an impromptu barbecue at your house in Wooton Courtney.
And even more recently we saw you in Minehead when you met our youngest, Andrew.
Sadly that was the last time we saw you.
Rest in peace Wendy.
Our love will be with you always.

To my dearest mum

I am so so desperately sad to lose you mum, it hurts so much, a level of emotional pain I have never experienced before but I know that you are now free, your soul and spirit, no longer trapped. I need to be strong for you mum and promise to be exactly that, I need to live on and want to make you proud.

You made me real mum, you showed me how to be a sincere and caring person and to face difficult situations head on. I cannot thank you enough for teaching me how to be a good friend, have depth and skill to listen to others.

I loved the way we danced together as a family, we expressed so much during these times. I love how you gave me the opportunity to ride and love horses and connect with animals (especially our cats) and find calm and peace in our family pets. You gave me a wonderful home and allowed me to find independence. You were so deep and intriguing to me mum, but you also had this amazing ability to be silly and make me laugh and see the funny side of life. You always encouraged me to express myself and be who I am today.

We were so deeply close, a relationship I could never replace.

Us girls were your life mum, and I know you always said to me that your best days were when you had your girls at home with you, cooking, cleaning, going about everyday life chores together and as long as we were a team, nothing seemed to be tedious as we made things fun together. I remember evenings in the garden having swing ball tournaments, thrashing the tennis ball to the point that it fell apart, determined to beat each other. I remember our days out horse riding together, and how brave you were to watch us bolt off into the distance on the moors on very sprightly, spooked horses. You trusted me and that gave me the chance to take on responsibility. More recently we played around with silly wigs and had such a giggle. I loved the way you could spot a bargain, you had a good eye and great taste in clothing, super style and you looked fantastic when you got dressed up. You loved Somerset so much and remember you taking me out on long drives to take in the amazing landscape beauty and breathe in the clean air, watch rivers flowing and find beautiful stones and shells on beaches. You were proud of where you lived mum and you loved to show people these special places; Tarr Steps, Snow Drop Valley, Exmoor, Porlock, Selworthy, Lynton and Lynmouth and so many more. I love those days mum and will always hold these memories close to my heart. I will revisit for many more years to come.

I feel winded now that you have gone and I did not get to say goodbye and hold your hand during your last breaths. It pains me that I could not be with you but I know you knew I was on my way to be with you mum, Guy driving us to you as fast as we could.

I held you, kissed you, and placed my hands on you to make you feel safe.

I love you mum, with all my heart and will keep you with me forevermore.

Your Laura (loopin) xxxx

Tom..a good friend of mine, wrote this poem in memory of a dear friend of his: I want to share this because at its essence it reminds me of my "sparkly" sister.

SPARKLERS - Tom Mason 2006 RIP

Slow to ignite,
Sparklers quickly kindle night
Into hissing, fizzing light.

Spilling peals of liquid laughter,
Children spin them, faster, faster,
Weaving wands of lustrous wire
Into skeins of golden fire.

And suddenly they die.

The frail and twisty, blackened fronds
And swift departure
Make all the darkness darker.

And you, who filled my night
With colour, with light,
With warmth, with wonder
You have gone from this horizon.

But in my sky
Your star shines brightly.
You do forever shine,
Your eyes do always dance,
And you shall forever
Sparkle, Sparkle, Sparkle.

Meeting Wendy for the first time came as a shock. Panic took hold of me as my mother showed me this red-faced, bawling, arms a-flailing baby who, she assured me I would love. I didn't believe her! How could I ?
(But as it turned out, she was right.)
I grew to love Wendy immensely.
Visiting Wendy at home was always a pleasure - together with Shaun, Laura, Emily and Hayley - they made me/us most welcome.
Wendy's Favourite room was the kitchen - I remember many a night perched on a stool, talking and drinking tea by the gallon, putting the world to rights! Sharing ideas, our discoveries and our passions. By 3 of 4 o'clock I was flagging and Wendy would reluctantly agree to sign off for the night.
Yes - Wendy is sorely missed, and my thoughts are with you Laura, Emily and Hayley X

Hilary, Michelle, Mark and I are so sad to hear of the passing of Wendy. Hilary and I remember Wendy's warm welcome when we first moved into Rowney Priory and the glasses of wine and laughter around our kitchen table. We have really happy memories of bonfire nights and trips to the pub with the whole family and remember Wendy as warm, kind and lovely to be around.

Michelle remembers Wendy dunking her in the bath after playing outside in the rain, feeding her fresh gooseberries and many a night dancing to Michael Jackson in the living room with the girls. It was our second home and a place where Mark and Michelle felt like they had a whole set of other siblings. They were both really sad when the family moved away from Dane End.

We all feel sorry to have lost touch over the years, as our lives weaved in different paths. Wendy will be forever in our hearts and our memories will live on x x x x

Mum

It won’t register that i won’t see you again, mum you gave me life, your part of me, so I take you where ever I go, until my day has come. I can still hear you, but I won’t ever hug you again, and I ache for this the most. At least I know what you’ll say to me as life presents challenges, you’ll be very close.

Your hands told such a story, and I wanted so badly to be able to hold them when it was time, to protect you and make you feel safe and loved. You passed without saying goodbye. Your love was the first I’d know, my only mum has left me now, I root not from you but because of you, your strength, your courage, your gentle love, please hear me call when I need you, and guide me through a fog. I will soar, and spring from this void I cannot fill, your courage and strength will prop me up, and I will make sure I don’t fall. Deep River woman x

The first time I met Wendy I was struck by her beauty. Thereafter her strength of character, vivaciousness, and hard working traites soon came to light.

Having married my brother Wendy became a big part of our lives. We shared so very much especially when 3 beautiful girls arrived.

Wendy would be so proud of laura. Emily and Hayley - am grateful to Shaun and Wendy for giving you girls the strength to pull through this time together.

Cannot know your thoughts but mine are of great times together over the years and may you rest in peace dear Wendy

Am sending all my love to laura. Emily and Hayley and of course Shaun

Wendy you were very dearly loved

God bless and goodnight

My love always

Sharyn

Dearest Wendy. My special fun loving favourite cousin with whom I had the most special bond......

My earliest memories of Wendy are holidays spent in Finchley, north London when my Mum and Dad (Renee and Arthur Whitton) dropped me off for a week in the summer holidays with my Aunty Beryl. Fun times spent with Wendy and Shaun bombing around the lanes in Shaun’s Mini. I loved the hustle and bustle and coming and goings of a large family when I was virtually an only child (my sister being 16 years older than me). Wendy was only 9 years older than me and my youngest cousin in age.

I was nine years old when Wendy, 18 was married to Shaun. I remember her asking me to be one of her two bridesmaids and the bright buttercup yellow dresses we wore and bouquets of her favourite yellow roses. I was proud to be by her side.

Martin and I were married on 7 April 1984 and asked Laura and Emily to be our bridesmaids! I remember at one of their fittings Wendy was in hysterics because she said that Emily was getting concerned about her onerous duties on the big day. Emily was worried about carrying my train down the aisle and asked if it was heavy? Of course Emily was just a little girl of four years old. You forget how different things have different meanings!

When Laura and Guy announced they would be marrying in Rhodes in 2008, we were the first to take up their offer. Going to Greece for a week with family was a wonderful experience and meeting and making new friends too! I remember Wendy coming along with a group of us to bathe in the sea. We were laughing and basking in the sunshine and were floating in the sea which was quite buoyant, giving Wendy freedom from pain bobbing about in the sea. We shared in a memorable wedding day for Laura and Guy with Wendy beaming with pride.

Our second daughter Jo and her Fiancé, Tom arranged their wedding for 1 September 2012. Wendy, Laura, Guy, Amber and Hayley attended. It was a lovely family occasion and Wendy thoroughly enjoyed this special day, laughing at Amber’s antics, getting to know Zoe, our first granddaughter. Zoe crashed out early on in the evening, but Amber out danced all the adults still going on late into the night!

Our last visit to Wendy was in Minehead last November. I had recently undergone surgery in the summer and Wendy’s concern was whether I was fit to make the journey to visit her, bless her. It was always a pleasure to receive a text from her and I knew she was very much looking forward to seeing us so we arranged an overnight stay and spent a lovely evening reminiscing and putting the world to rights. She was always keen to hear what all the family were up to. I popped back the next day to say goodbye and it was very hard leaving her alone. She said goodbye to me like she was never going to see me again....

Dearest Wendy, it is a blessing you are now at peace and free from pain, but I shall miss you muchly and value the friendship we have had over all these years my dear and special cousin. Sleep tight, night night. Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Fondest love always, Carolyn xxx

I am so sorry to hear of Wendy’s passing as I have known her since 1970 when I first met Pat. She was always stimulating company full of fun and with a unique sense of humour. Although it was Pat and my decision to move to the other side of the world,

Sadly, the long distance meant not visiting Wendy more often. We had such an enjoyable time with her and the family when we met up in 2017. Also in 1999 when Wendy, Laura, Emily and Hayley came to stay with us in Melbourne. It was such such a fun occasion at the beach and other tourist spots. Also back in 1974 when she and Shaun stayed with us in Scotland and they came with us to Oban and Iona.

So over the years we have thoroughly enjoyed Wendy’s company and her vivacious personality, and it is so sad that we will not meet up again when we are visiting the U.K. I know Pat is deeply affected by Wendy’s passing as she has been a great support to her over the years, and they have greatly enjoyed each other’s company, as I have.

May you rest in peace, Wendy,

Much love,

John x