Freda Wilkinson

Following a long battle with ill health Mum finally passed away on Sunday, 10 February 2008, she was a much loved wife of Robert and loving mum to Karen and Andrew, Mother in law of Rachel, devoted Grandma of Teri-Ann and Toby.

Freda was a long serving landlady of the Bay Horse, Hade Edge before she retired in 1991, following her first brush with cancer. She intended to make the most of her life and enjoy it to the full. She was respected by many and had time for anyone who asked and sometimes when they didn't. She looked over the pub regulars like a mother and often treat them like her own, if they wanted telling off she would not hold back, yet she would give support when necessary.

She brought pleasure to many through her involvement with the LVA as Secretary and then President, she even organised the local darts league, which entertained many. Even on retirement she didn't stop, taking up bowling and travelling frequently, nothing stopped her, not even the stroke in 1998, she continued to travel and did her best not to let us all see how hard things had got for her.

When she was diagnosed with Cancer in 2000 she kept a positive outlook and followed all the treatment the doctors recommended, no matter what the disease threw at her she battled on when most would have given in, it was her strength that kept us all going and we almost started to believe that she would go on for ever. She was strong right to the end, undergoing treatment to give us all more time together.

After much thought, Mum made the decision to stop treatment at the beginning of February, we witnessed how her health deteriorated very quickly, but her spirit was always there. All we could do was to make her as comfortable as possible during the last few days of her life. On her last few days with us, we spent the whole time with her, watching her chest rise and fall during the drug induced sleep, she never regained consciousness which is a blessing that she knew nothing of the pain she was in.

God bless Mum, rest in peace.