Marina was born in Darlington in 1934 and lost her mum, Florence, when she was just 5, leaving her with siblings, Audrey, Muriel, Billy and dad, William. She attended St Augustine’s Roman Catholic School and at 11 started delivering milk part-time, by cart with horse Madge.
As a teenager she joined the Territorial Army and worked at the Darlington NAAFI, where she met Ken. They married in March 1956 and had two daughters, Teresa and Sandra.
Marina was a hard worker and very resilient. Jobs included perfume sales assistant, machinist, bus and tram conductor, catering manageress at Lyons in Oxford Street and then Plymouth, where she again delivered milk, worked in cafes, shops and at Bush Radio.
When she became a care assistant at Cameron House Nursing Home Marina found her true vocation and spent the rest of her life caring for the elderly, terminally ill and blind, in care homes, day centres or as a home help. She so loved this work that she did it voluntarily for 8 years. She even single-handedly took a coach trip of ‘old dears’ to Newquay. She had to check all were ‘present and correct’ each morning (alive!) and that no wooden legs were left behind.
Always aware of those less fortunate she’d invite residents home to tea and even gave away Ken’s cooked breakfast to a chap living on the streets. She passed clothes, hardly worn, to a less well-off neighbour and another neighbours’ daughter recalls how Marina and Ken cared for her poorly parents.
Voluntary work included the Labour Party, Cooperative Society and Red Cross blood donor sessions (she was also a long-standing blood donor). Other activities included Derriford Hospital Trust, St Pancras playgroup, Age Concern, Macmillan and National Trust.
She loved Oxford, walks along the Thames in Henley, and visiting Salzburg as she loved The Sound of Music. Teresa recalls with delight mum taking her out of school in 1965 to see the film.
Visits to Dublin with Ken to decorate Sandra’s partner, John’s mum’s house sometimes resulted in Marina and Sandra sneaking off for a Guinness, feeling happy but naughty.
Her favourite ‘wee dram’, occasionally served as ‘medicine’ for her girls, pet dog Patch and even the goldfish! We recall Tony’s mum, Jean, visiting on pushbike and Marina treating her to champagne. This was followed by a wine sampling event; needless to say, Jean found it impossible to cycle home.
She loved singing and joined the Melody Makers for 12 years. Their local fundraising events included ”Music Of The Night” concerts.
Marina and Ken often visited Warner Hotels, especially Cricket St Thomas, and Ken recalls the band playing ‘Lady in Red’ when she wore her favourite colour dress.
She enjoyed trying new things and foreign cuisine; holidays included Hayle, Majorca, Paris, Australia, Holland, the Canary Islands and more.
She loved daffodils, poppies, bagpipes, bubbly perms and looking smart with a well-stocked wardrobe and matching shoes.
She’d send birthday cards way ahead of time… sometimes got the wrong the end of stick, such as Russ Conway playing ‘Side Saddle’ (how can that be comfortable?)… referred to plane vapour trails as ‘skid marks in the sky’. Many funny memories.
Marina had cancer three times and approached each occurrence with her ‘just got to get on with it’ determination. Ken describes her as a ‘one off’, she was a force of nature and nothing will ever be the same. But her spirit rests in our hearts and her cheeky smile is always with us, often followed by a poke of her tongue, ha!