Eulogy by Timothy Long
Created by Mavis 22 days agoEulogy for Sally Adams
My Mother Sally Adams (formally Long, nee Middleton) was a wonderful and kind woman who lived humbly, yet boldy, in a world that spanned a world war and rapid changes.
Born Sally Middleton on 8 August 1934, she was the only child of Johnathan and Eileen Middleton. Having lived happily with her parents, at the start of the 2nd World War her father joined the army and she travelled with her mother to Egypt and then South Africa. She formed lifelong friends at school in South Africa, but also became acutely aware of inequalities in our world. In 1945 she was reunited with her father in Austria, following his escape from an Italian Prisoner of War camp. After the war she returned to the UK and attended the Royal High School Bath at Longleat House.
Sally was capable, unflappable, resourceful and adventurous. She loved to travel and learn about new places throughout her life. Visiting many countries across five continents. She planned to sail round the world with her best friend after school, but at the last minute her friend decided to get married. This did not deter mum, as she got on the boat to New Zealand. In New Zealand she worked with Knapp, Harris & Connery, where she impressed them with her stenography and music skills. She returned to Europe and worked first in Copenhagen as a stenographer with F.L. Smith & Co an engineering company, and from 1956-1958 with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe based in Paris. In the farewell cards and letters from her colleagues and friends she was praised for her excellent skills, diligence, great singing, kindness and fun nature.
She returned to the UK to study child care at the NorthWesthern London Polytechnic. Graduated in 1962 with a Child Care certificate and moved to Bristol to work as a Child Care Officer with the City of Bristol’s Children’s Dept 1962-1975 and then the Clifton Catholic Children Society from 1975-1995 as a Mother and Child care-worker. Specialising in placing children for adoption and supporting mothers in need of help.
She married my father Douglas Long in 1965 and adopted me and sister Rebecca in 1967 and 1970 respectively. Sally was a very loving mother who encouraged us to be active and instilled in us a great love of walking and the outdoors. I have fond memories of childhood walking, camping and holidays in Devon.
Our mum was a very engaging parent, as father travelled a lot for work. I remember her spending hours sewing umpteen swimming badges onto my trunks, my cub scout jersey, and Becca’s guide’s uniform. She loved cooking and helped to organise Street Parties with Juliet Alderson in Apsley Road.
Caring for people was a big part of mum’s life. She had 7 god children and at the Clifton Catholic Children Society she placed 168 children with their adoptive parents and supported over 300 mothers in need of help. It was wonderful to read letters to Aunty Sally from children she had placed for adoption and their parents telling her how well they were doing.
She also found time to care for people with mental health issues and actively supported children’s charities in the UK and abroad. And was especially concerned about the instability in the Middle East.
Mum was a devout Christian and member of the Church of England. She also cared deeply for the environment and volunteered at church and with community support groups. She once tried to encourage me to go with her to an international soup kitchen by promising that I would see a blue person, which sadly was not enough to persuade my pre-teen self to accompany her.
In 1984 my father Douglas died unexpectedly. Mum became a single parent to Becca and I, and continued to love and do all she could for us. When we left home, she reconnected with Kenneth Adams an old friend and ex-fiance. In 1988 they married in the chapel next door to this, and mum moved to Windsor. She worked for a few more years in Bristol until her retirement. She was an active member in the Windsor and Eton community teaching children to read and assisting at the Blind association.
It made me very happy to see mum with Kenneth. He loved her dearly, spoilt her and could make her cry with laughter with his stories and anecdotes. Mum with Kenneth is the memory I want to hold onto the most, because after a busy life of caring for others, it was wonderful to see Kenneth love and care for her. After Kenneth died, she continued to be active in the community with a great circle of friends.
For me she was, and always will be, my mum who cared for and loved me dearly and instilled in me the values I hold, my love for the outdoors, travel and my work ethic. She will always be my wife Mavis’s mother in love (as she calls her) who loved her unconditionally and had a twinkle in her eye whenever Mavis said let’s have some champagne and chocolate. And she will always be my son Owura’s Nana Sally in bed in the UK.
I love you mum! Rest in Peace till we meet again.
My Mother Sally Adams (formally Long, nee Middleton) was a wonderful and kind woman who lived humbly, yet boldy, in a world that spanned a world war and rapid changes.
Born Sally Middleton on 8 August 1934, she was the only child of Johnathan and Eileen Middleton. Having lived happily with her parents, at the start of the 2nd World War her father joined the army and she travelled with her mother to Egypt and then South Africa. She formed lifelong friends at school in South Africa, but also became acutely aware of inequalities in our world. In 1945 she was reunited with her father in Austria, following his escape from an Italian Prisoner of War camp. After the war she returned to the UK and attended the Royal High School Bath at Longleat House.
Sally was capable, unflappable, resourceful and adventurous. She loved to travel and learn about new places throughout her life. Visiting many countries across five continents. She planned to sail round the world with her best friend after school, but at the last minute her friend decided to get married. This did not deter mum, as she got on the boat to New Zealand. In New Zealand she worked with Knapp, Harris & Connery, where she impressed them with her stenography and music skills. She returned to Europe and worked first in Copenhagen as a stenographer with F.L. Smith & Co an engineering company, and from 1956-1958 with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe based in Paris. In the farewell cards and letters from her colleagues and friends she was praised for her excellent skills, diligence, great singing, kindness and fun nature.
She returned to the UK to study child care at the NorthWesthern London Polytechnic. Graduated in 1962 with a Child Care certificate and moved to Bristol to work as a Child Care Officer with the City of Bristol’s Children’s Dept 1962-1975 and then the Clifton Catholic Children Society from 1975-1995 as a Mother and Child care-worker. Specialising in placing children for adoption and supporting mothers in need of help.
She married my father Douglas Long in 1965 and adopted me and sister Rebecca in 1967 and 1970 respectively. Sally was a very loving mother who encouraged us to be active and instilled in us a great love of walking and the outdoors. I have fond memories of childhood walking, camping and holidays in Devon.
Our mum was a very engaging parent, as father travelled a lot for work. I remember her spending hours sewing umpteen swimming badges onto my trunks, my cub scout jersey, and Becca’s guide’s uniform. She loved cooking and helped to organise Street Parties with Juliet Alderson in Apsley Road.
Caring for people was a big part of mum’s life. She had 7 god children and at the Clifton Catholic Children Society she placed 168 children with their adoptive parents and supported over 300 mothers in need of help. It was wonderful to read letters to Aunty Sally from children she had placed for adoption and their parents telling her how well they were doing.
She also found time to care for people with mental health issues and actively supported children’s charities in the UK and abroad. And was especially concerned about the instability in the Middle East.
Mum was a devout Christian and member of the Church of England. She also cared deeply for the environment and volunteered at church and with community support groups. She once tried to encourage me to go with her to an international soup kitchen by promising that I would see a blue person, which sadly was not enough to persuade my pre-teen self to accompany her.
In 1984 my father Douglas died unexpectedly. Mum became a single parent to Becca and I, and continued to love and do all she could for us. When we left home, she reconnected with Kenneth Adams an old friend and ex-fiance. In 1988 they married in the chapel next door to this, and mum moved to Windsor. She worked for a few more years in Bristol until her retirement. She was an active member in the Windsor and Eton community teaching children to read and assisting at the Blind association.
It made me very happy to see mum with Kenneth. He loved her dearly, spoilt her and could make her cry with laughter with his stories and anecdotes. Mum with Kenneth is the memory I want to hold onto the most, because after a busy life of caring for others, it was wonderful to see Kenneth love and care for her. After Kenneth died, she continued to be active in the community with a great circle of friends.
For me she was, and always will be, my mum who cared for and loved me dearly and instilled in me the values I hold, my love for the outdoors, travel and my work ethic. She will always be my wife Mavis’s mother in love (as she calls her) who loved her unconditionally and had a twinkle in her eye whenever Mavis said let’s have some champagne and chocolate. And she will always be my son Owura’s Nana Sally in bed in the UK.
I love you mum! Rest in Peace till we meet again.