A senior teaching assistant who helped many Upper Eden children on life’s journey, Anne Dew, has died aged 72.
Anne was born in Altringham, Cheshire, on New Year’s Day, 1949.
She was always considered to be an unplanned but very special New Year’s gift. Anne She was the youngest of four children with a sister Jean and brothers Alan and Peter.
Anne’s dad, Stanley, was sent to register the birth with strict instructions to name her Anne but he chose Judith instead.
However, Anne’s mum Edith was not so easily out-smarted and simply called her daughter Anne anyway which led to a lifetime of confusion at hospitals.
With Anne’s family being busy establishing a business – S Cartwright & Sons – in Altringham, Cheshire, which involved her father, mother and brothers, from an early age, Anne had to help at home with the cooking and other chores.
This accounts for why Anne was always very hard working and practical. She had plenty of practice.
After being educated at Timperley Primary School and Sale County Grammar School for Girls, she attended London’s Furzedown College, from 1967 to 1970, where she trained to be a teacher and her first job was at a primary school in New Cross, South London, shortly after which she met her future husband, Phil, who was 16 years old, and attended a nearby secondary school.
The relationship caused quite a stir at the time, but despite opposition and dire predictions that the relationship would “never last” Anne and Phil married in August, 1972, in Timperley, Cheshire.
The first year was spent living in a caravan in Kirkpatrick Fleming while Phil gained practical experience working on a farm before going to Wye agricultural college.
Meanwhile, Anne taught at a primary school in Wigton., Cumbria, where Miss Tickle was the headteacher.
It was a hard frosty winter and the pipes burst in the middle of the night and so the newly weds faced a flood of biblical proportions. It proved to be a memorable introduction to the trials and tribulations of married life!
Anne and Phil moved to Kent in 1973 and rented an unfurnished farm cottage which meant they had to sleep on the floor for several weeks.
The farmer asked when their possessions were arriving and was quite shocked when he was told they hadn’t got any! From those humble beginnings things could only improve – which over time they did.
Fortunately, Anne never set much store by material things and preferred to focus on relationships instead., where Anne taught in a primary school in Mersham [1973-1980] and was surrounded by children every day.
When thoughts turned to having a family of her own she was devastated to be told by specialists that it would not be possible to have children. So in 1980 Phil and Anne upped-sticks and went to Hallbankgate to keep animals instead — to sample what’s since become known as ‘the good life’.
Rowantree Hill Cottage was semi-derelict and in need of renovation but whortly after their arrival at Rowantree Hill Cottage, Anne became pregnant with the first of three “miracle babies” — Emma, Megan and Beccy.
Her girls were always a hugely important part of Anne’s life.
Having children of her own was a blessing which Anne appreciated to the full and never ever took for granted. She loved her three daughters with a passion.
Life on the smallholding was idyllic – surrounded by poultry and goats and assorted other animals – and a growing family.
Anne had always loved dogs so she set up a successful dog kennels and cattery — also breeding cocker and springer spaniels and learning how to groom. Not content with that Anne decided to fulfil another life-long ambition – before she grew too old – and went to train as a nurse at the Lakeland College of Nursing and Midwifery in Carlisle, where she qualified as an RGN in 1992.
It was quite an undertaking for a forty plus year old but Anne took everything in her stride in her own inimitable and unflappable way.
Meanwhile, Anne’s husband, Phil, was accepted as a ministerial candidate in the Methodist Church and in 1992 the family left Cumbria and moved to Durham where Phil studied for a degree in theology.
A nursing job wasn’t practical so Anne worked part-time in the education department at Frankland Prison. Anne was diminutive in size – at just over five feet in height – but she more than held her own among the male prisoners with her sense of humour and quiet determination.
Phil was posted to Tebay in August, 1995, and for the first few years Anne stayed at home to look after the family.
Anne was always a great support to her husband in his work beavering away behind the scenes never seeking the limelight quietly helping in a down to earth and practical manner at the local youth club, soccer school, firework display, sports day and many other notable events — where she often manned the barbecue.
Anne was Phil’s rock — loving, kind and completely dependable. Without Anne’s help his ministry would have been greatly diminished.
When Beccy began secondary school in 1999 Anne found work as a part-time learning support assistant in several Eden schools, eventually securing a post at Kirby Stephen Primary School in April, 2021, where she spent 20 happy and wonderfully fulfilling years working as a senior teaching assistant.
Anne took particular pleasure in helping and guiding less able children.
She had great patience and a gentle, caring, manner. Anne was also kind and supportive towards junior members of staff with well chosen words of advice and encouragement – which were often supplemented by a comforting bar of chocolate!
Anne had five grandchildren — Lochlann, Dan, Liam, Isla and Merida — of whom she thought the world. of and they were blessed to have a Granny who loved and cared for them deeply and was able to help them with their homework – a real bonus – and make the best apple pies ever!.
The years were flying by and it was hard to believe that Anne had reached the grand old age of 72. The headteacher Lynne Wade once asked Anne when she was going to retire to which she replied ‘I think I’ll just keep on going until I drop’.
Those prophetic words came true on Tuesday, March, 23, when Anne collapsed in the school playground.
Anne was airlifted to the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, by the Great North Air Ambulance, where she died on March 29
Anne’s family reflected that she never achieved what generally passes as “greatness” but she influenced the lives of many people for the good and possessed in abundance all the qualities which really count and make an individual stand out from the crowd.
She was loving, kind, thoughtful and patient, and always put the needs of others before her own.
She will be sorely missed by her family and friends together with countless children who have Anne to thank for helping them on life’s journey.
They are Anne’s legacy. The hundreds of cards sent by well-wishers bear witness to the impact Anne had on people’s lives.
Anne is survived by her husband Phil; daughters Emma, Megan and Beccy; grandchildren Lochlann, Dan, Liam, Isla and Merida; and her brother Peter.
She will be buried in Chirk, North Wales, close to the home of her youngest daughter, Beccy.
A short family service was held at the graveside today.
Donations in memory of Anne are for the work of the Great North Air Ambulance Service and can be made c/o Glynn Jones & Son Funeral Directors, Appleby, who have charge of the arrangements.
