Karen and Martin have composed a tribute with thoughts from some of Eileen’s family and friends, which show in a small way how she was loved, but cannot show how much.

Everyone who knew her will have some special memories because she was a very special person: kind, thoughtful, generous, and caring.

On 20th November 1932 Eileen was born at home, 35 Ruskin Road, Eastleigh, to Eva and Albert Webster.
Her eldest brother Norman was 10, and her elder sister Edith was five years old. Her younger brother, Bernerd arrived six years later.

Eileen told stories about growing up and playing in the garden at home in Ruskin Road: feeding the family’s chickens, looking for eggs, and picking fruit.

She said she had a doll’s pram which she loved to play with, but it had caught fire and it made her sad that she didn’t get another. Edith explained it used to be kept under the coat pegs close by the fireplace and a spark spat out of the fire and did indeed set light to Eileen’s dolls pram!

While living in Ruskin Road Eileen met her good friend June, who lived round the corner --- they went to school together in Shakespeare Road. June recalls playing down by the river, catching sticklebacks, and how they used to run under the railway bridge there if they heard a train coming, as it sounded like thunder!

She also remembers there was a piano in the front room of Eileen’s house and Eileen had taught June to play “chopsticks”.

Another friend Monica recalled that they regularly sat together at school while eating their school dinners.

Eileen remained friends with her earliest school friends June and Monica, and they and their families also became family friends, sharing holidays and days out together, and they were lifelong friends.

The Webster family moved to 67 Chamberlayne Road in September 1946, and Eileen went to school at Chamberlayne Road Girls School – then Eileen studied shorthand and typing.

Eileen’s first job was working at Winchester library, typing book lists, and sorting books to be boxed and transported to other local libraries. She said she didn’t like carrying the heavy books, so left to work in a Solicitor’s office in Southampton.

This is probably what led her to be the organised person she was; Eileen would make a list when things needed to be done, and things got done!

She was also accomplished in “Shorthand” and when she used this to write her “lists” she was definitely the only one who could get the shopping!

Eileen attended the local Youth Club with her friends; they would go to dances and take their bikes out in a group, sometimes cycling for miles, even to Hayling Island.

How we all laughed when she recently told us the story of one cycling trip when the group turned at a crossroads to cycle along the (then) brand new Winchester bypass --- and Eileen started to cycle along the wrong carriageway --- with everyone shouting out to her over the hedge “where are you going Eileen ?! “

Eileen met Rafe at a dance in Eastleigh; he proposed to her while on holiday with her family and they married at the Parish Church on 7th July, 1956.

Martin was born just over a year later and Karen in 1959.

They first lived in Fair Oak in Rafe’s Grandmother’s house, and then moved to a newly built house --- number 50 Whalesmead Road, Bishopstoke, in August 1959.

This was now the “family home” and lots of happy memories were made there.
Eileen was very knowledgeable about flowers, she could tell you the name of almost any flower, and even knew some Latin names.

She enjoyed planting and digging the flower borders in their garden at “number 50” and also when Eileen and Rafe moved to 4 Vespasian Way. It made her very sad when she was unable to get down onto her knees to weed her treasured flower borders.

Eileen took after her mother and sister, being accomplished needlewomen; making curtains, cushion covers, dresses for herself and for Karen.
Eileen even made her own wedding dress and later, Karen’s Bridesmaids dresses. She knitted numerous jumpers and cardigans, and absolutely loved knitting for her grandchildren.

Rebecca and Katherine have many, many, precious memories: days out, happy times playing in their Nan and Grandads’ garden, and kindnesses, with nothing being too much trouble.
Rebecca’s special memory is of them listening to Swan Lake on the record player and two little girls pretending to be ballerinas, Grandad throwing and catching them in the air, with Nanny humming along and laughing!
Katherine remembers being comforted by Nanny if she hurt herself or fell over, and how Nanny could always make her feel better. She made a lovely cooked breakfast whenever Katherine and Rebecca slept over, and sometimes a delicious steak pie for dinner!
It’s so hard to say “Goodbye Nanny”, when you are not ready to do so.

When Eileen and Rafe moved in 2012 from Vespasian Way to the new apartment in Catherine Court they were able to take things a little easier in their retirement, although Eileen missed the wonderful flower garden they had built up over the years.

Not always in the best of health, Eileen however accepted whatever life brought her. She always tried to see the good side, made the most of what she had, and kept smiling.

At the end of 2014 after falling very ill, and a stay in hospital, Eileen convalesced in a Nursing Home, but her health never really improved enough for her to go back home to Rafe, and once again she accepted the blow life dealt her and kept smiling.

Rafe would visit Eileen as often as he could, and they would make the best of their precious moments together.

Eileen visited Rafe in hospital with Martin and Karen just before he passed away on 29th March, and so began to realise that he would not be getting better and would not be visiting her again. She coped very bravely, and as ever thinking of others, tried not to show how upset she really was so as not to upset her family.

Here are more thoughts from others who knew her:

Some comments from the nursing home:

“Eileen, the lady with a lovely smile and twinkling eyes. We will miss you” - Beverley

“Eileen was a very lovely and interesting lady. I always remember her writing a shopping list for Ralph, she spent hours with it. Eileen was a very strong lady who showed bravery through the loss of her husband” - Hazel

“It has been such a pleasure having Eileen stay with us, always talking about flowers and the outdoors. She will be deeply missed” - Shelby

“Eileen was a wonderful lady, she always made me smile. She had a huge heart and loved a good cuddle” - Abbi

“My favourite part of Eileen was when on a good day Ralph would come in and they both would chat about the good old days, and fall asleep together holding hands. Both these lovely kind hearted people will be missed by us all” - Charlotte

Eileen’s friend Masie wrote these words about her: “I have known Eileen for many years, since we both worked together (about 40 years ago) and we became great friends. She was a lovely person, always had a smile for everyone and was very kind and caring. Her family meant everything to her”

Eileen's sister Edith has written some words:

My first memory of Eileen, being five years older than her, I was often given the responsibility by our mother, when she was busy, of keeping my baby sister safe and amused.

Another outstanding memory from Edith was of a few years later, during the war, in our family air raid shelter amidst the noise of falling bombs and gun-fire, Eileen said “ I wish I was in Fairyland!”

Eileen was a wonderful sister to me, I received many Birthday and Christmas presents from her – she never forgot to send Birthday cards!

She loved to celebrate Anniversaries – in one instance she organised a surprise Golden Wedding party for my late husband and me, secretly roping in the help of our friends in our Romsey church, along with relatives, to give us a lovely time.

She was a good, loving person and there were times however when she worried and needed my reassurance that God loved her and was willing to forgive her shortcomings when she told God she was sorry.

Edith concluded that: "There is so much more I could say, but to sum up I must say- I could never have had a better sister. My son, Ken, and myself will greatly miss her – until we meet again one day.

Eileen will be remembered forever with great love and affection and there will always be a part of her with all of us.