Jan Yexley - The Best Ever
Jan was born in Southampton on 12 April 1952, just over 2 months after me and in the same hospital.
Her Dad, Tony Woodhouse, was a keen sportsman and played football and cricket for Hythe & Dibden and Jan's mum, Mary, was the main sandwich supplier for these events over many years!
Jan's two younger sisters, Loo (Linda) & Karen were also ardent supporters for these sporting events.
Jan would go to most home and some away matches with her parents and sisters and built up a love of both sports.
Jan really enjoyed her schooldays - except for some of the awful school meals and reading out aloud in class!
Jan would have been selected to play for the Hythe & Dibden cricket club - if they permitted girls! Her throwing arm was excellent and Jan threw javelin and also played hockey for the school.
Jan loved music and would listen to the pirate radio stations in bed, under the blankets!
Jan's other passion was in dancing - first with ballroom when she won several certificates - and then with disco in the late 60's.
Jan's working life started at Edwin Jones (now Debenhams) and she commuted using the Hythe ferry. She moved to a flat in Southampton with her friend Leslie when she was 18 for two reasons - dancing and seasickness!
Jan would go dancing five or six nights per week at the various halls and clubs, including the Pier, the Silhouette and Top Rank. Jan went to the Isle of Wight festival in 1969 to see the main bands and singers of the time including The Who, Moody Blues, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix. However, Jan refused to use the portaloos for 3 days!!
Jan would go home to Hythe at least twice a week, for her love of the Woodhouse roast and bubble & squeak - and her family of course. Jan was a very strong family girl and has always loved them all deeply.
I met Jan on 17 Oct. 1970 when I went with several male friends to her flat for coffee (after a party somewhere!) - invited by her flat mate, Leslie! It was within 300yds of the Southampton football club.
We fell for each other pretty well immediately but I took maybe 3 months to realise it - Jan was as pretty as a picture and I could not believe she fancied me!
Jan provided me with the stability and common sense that I needed at that time and she also gave me the resolve to get into gainful employment - it worked!
I had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 6 months before we met and Jan helped me through those difficult times by making me recognise the importance of controlling my life.
We were engaged a year after meeting and married a year after that - 14 Oct. 1972. We went to Majorca for our honeymoon - it was the first time I had flown - and we had a lovely time!
Jan joined Camelot Press soon after we met and left just before Tara was born in Feb. 1977. By then we had purchased (mortgaged) our first house in Grove Road and three months after Tara was born, we moved to Kennedy Road.
Gemma arrived in May 1979 so our perfect family was complete.
I was working for a mining supply company and, in 1982, my job moved to London.
Jan liked it in London because of the shops and the free events (sponsored by Ken Livingstone!). We moved to a large terraced house in Chiswick from the Camden flat (above a restaurant) and Jan & the girls settled in well with the local community.
We moved to Wilton in Oct. 1984 with my new job and Jan was soon working for Westbrick Plastics - later at Solair - as an accounts clerk.
As always, Jan made many friends, some lifelong and, luckily for me, they became my friends too.
When Solair closed, Jan joined Alabare - she loved it there, working with people with learning difficulties and again making many friends. Her clients loved her too.
Jan & I were blessed by having four lovely grandchildren, Felix & Otto from Tara & Dan, Amelia & Joel from Gemma & Rae. They were the apple of Jan's eye and she doted on them and spoilt them rotten!
Felix & Amelia will be reading a poem for Nanna later.
Family was always the most important thing in Jan's life and, apart from the love and loyalty Jan gave to me, her family and friends, there were other loves in her life.
Holidays would probably come top of the list. Camping in Devon, Cornwall and even south Wales was the start (we were poor then!) followed by various sunny Mediterranean countries!
Then it was the USA (with & without the girls), Australia, South Africa, India, Thailand and beyond!
Jan also occasionally flew off with some of her (female) friends for a sunny break - I used to travel a lot with work then!
Wine and occasionally, Pina Colada, were the top of Jan's priority during holidays - and most other times too!
Oh, and Easter Eggs were very important to Jan!
Jan was lovely in so many ways and I know that everyone who knew her loved her.
Just a few of Jan's qualities included being friendly, determined, loving, caring, cheerful, amusing, thoughtful, sociable, considerate, kind, patient, very empathetic, selfless, tolerant, stoic and brave. Too many to list!
Jan was also a fabulous Wife, lovely Mother and wonderful Nanna.
All of these fantastic qualities kept her strong and determined throughout her cruel and unfair illness. I hope some of these have rubbed off on me and I know they have on to our daughters and grandchildren.
The diagnosis was in Sept. 2016, although Jan had not been her usual self for some months previously. Jan never weakened during the past year and remained upbeat & strong in mind, if not in body. Even when her speech and mobility suffered, Jan was determined to continue enjoying life as much as possible.
We would go out for a snack and glass of wine every week during these difficult times and Jan still gave her love and affection to all.
Her last days were spent in bed at home and we were inundated with visits from family and dear friends - the love was so apparent and Jan knew that even then.
Wine & Pina Coladas still flowed - on cotton buds in the final week! She fell asleep peacefully at 11.50pm on Thurs 7th Sept. with her husband, daughters and sisters at her bedside.
Just to add my last thought - I loved Jan dearly, I still do and I always will.
Paul Yexley