Pauline Shepherd was the daughter of George Henry Shepherd [always known as Harry] and Mary Ann Shepherd [always known as Nancy]. Pauline was always Pauline! A Yorkshire family they lived in Maple Grove, Sheffield.
She was born on August 12, 1943 at the Women’s Hospital, Sheffield, at 08.35 in the morning. Her weight at birth was 9 lbs.
An only child [her brother died in childbirth] Pauline had a very happy life. The family, who ran a grocery shop, moved to Baslow where she went to school at the Baslow Primary School and then to Abbeydale Grammar School and the Lady Manners School, Bakewell. She did well in her final exams and went on to Matlock College in 1961 to spend three years training to be a primary teacher. She achieved an A* grade.
Her first teaching post was at Derby Road, Chesterfield where she taught for two years before deciding to go out to West Germany to teach in schools as a civilian for the Ministry of Defence. So in 1966 she began a new life at St. George’s School, Rheindahlen, where she met so many life-long friends. The attraction of the sun took her to a forces in Limassol, Cyprus in 1969 for two years which she so greatly enjoyed. She then always loved to return to Cyprus for holidays in later life. Her mother and father enjoyed visiting her on that lovely island and again she made so many firm friendships. Sadly these close friends like Brenda, Bridget and Ann have all passed on in recent years.
In 1971 Pauline returned to England taking up various teaching posts but more importantly she got married to Flight Lieutenant David Hargrave Price of the Royal Air Force on April 4, 1972 at the Bakewell Register Office, Derbyshire, followed by a Service of Blessing at St. Ann’s Baslow. Because of his role working with the Alliance Building Society the couple moved several times around the country.
The marriage was blessed with two lovely daughters. Emma Jane Price was born on November 6, 1973 in Chichester and then Rachael Ann Price was born on May 9th, 1976 at Darley Dale Hospital, Derbyshire. Both girls were baptised at St. Anne’s Church, Baslow.
The family were to move to Nettleham, Lincolnshire and then to Alsager before David became Branch Manager at the newly merged Alliance and Leicester Building Society in Nuneaton and the family were thrilled to discover Market Bosworth, buying a house in Cedar Drive.
The Prices soon became established in the community. David, Emma and Rachael all became choir members at St. Peter’s, while Pauline joined the ladies choir known as The Joy Springs as well as later becoming a member of Inner Wheel and acting as Treasurer for a few years.
Sadly David was suddenly made redundant after five years and this led him to take his own life in November 1991 and a shocked Pauline had the responsibility of bringing up her two teenage daughters suddenly on her own. Harry, her father died shortly afterwards and her mother moved to live at their Cedar Drive home but was suffering from developing Alzheimers. It must have been such a difficult time for Pauline, but friends and the church were so supportive.
During all the family moves Pauline was still teaching when possible and she had positions in Earl Shilton and then St. Peter’s School in Bosworth before retiring in 2003. She remained in touch with some of her pupils until recently. By now she had met Robert at St. Peter’s Church and in the handbell group. The friendship blossomed with a Mediterranean cruise [separate cabins!] and then a South American cruise to the Falkland Islands. It was from Port Stanley that invitations were sent out to their wedding which took place on Easter Sunday, 2004, when family, friends, former colleagues and many from the community filled the church for such a happy occasion.
Robert and Pauline were soul mates, enjoying each others company and travelling all over the world. As grandparents they so much enjoyed seeing their four grandsons, Dominic, Julian, Oliver and Daniel, growing up and all of them stayed many times at their grandparents house. They enjoyed many holidays together at the seaside and a big all-family cruise in 2016. Robert describes their sixteen years of marriage as the happiest years of his life.
Sadly Pauline was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at Christmas 2017 and although initially this progressed very slowly, in the months of ‘lockdown’ her condition worsened rapidly, together with other medical problems discovered by the doctors, and her life ended on August 28th. By joining the local Parkinson’s Group at Hinckley Pauline developed so many new friendships and interests and we will always be so grateful for the support of that friendly group.
Despite the Covid 19 restrictions Robert, Emma and Rachael got permission individually to go into the LRI to help feed Pauline and it meant that the girls were able to say their farewells to their much-loved Mum on the day before she died and Robert was with her when she passed over on the Friday afternoon.
Pauline will be so very much missed but we all have so many happy memories of our lives with her.
The restrictions mean that the funeral service will be for family only but it is hoped that friends will be on the route to say their farewells to such a lovely lady. Perhaps later there will be a chance to organise a Memorial Service with lots of the music that Pauline so much enjoyed.
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