Eulogy for Jill Jill was born in Islington, North London on the 09th July 1949 to proud parents Doreen & Bill Turner. A beautiful baby, adored by Mum & Dad. They lived in Packington Street, in a terraced house that had a basement and 3 upper floors. Uncle John & Grandad lived in the basement, Mum & Dad and baby Jill on the 1st floor, Auntie Mill & Uncle Bill on the 2nd floor and Nanny Willcox up top. There was a chicken house at the end of the garden, and as we grew up,Jill and I used to look forward to collecting the chickens eggs from the nest boxes, and also holding the baby chicks when they hatched. After the 2nd world war, when Jill was 4 years old, we were moved out of Islington and re-housed in Borehamwood it was a big change to the streets of London, but a lovely place to grow up in, with open fields and green play areas, where as we grew older played out in the street with all the other children, hop scotch, hide & seek, chase, we had freedom to play out and we loved it. One day in 1958 Mum and Dad told us that we were going to have a new addition to the family, I remember both of us being so excited about having a new brother or sister. Mum started to teach Jill how to knit, and after months of mum picking up dropped stitches the matinee’ jacket for the new baby was completed. Jill was so proud of her achievement. One night a few months later Jill and I were sent to bed a bit earlier than usual, I remember whispering to Jill if she knew what was going on and she said “ I think the baby’s coming”. Much later we heard the voice of the midwife call down the stairs for the lemon matinee’ jacket to be brought up, and after that dad came in and we were taken into Mum and Dads bedroom , and there was Mum sitting up in bed holding our new little brother Colin, dressed in the little jacket Jill had made. What proud sisters we were. After Colin was born we moved to a 3 bedroom house in Reston Path, Borehamwood. Surrounded by open fields and woods, it was a children's paradise, we were out playing with our neighbours children all the time, we built camps in the woods, roller skated, biked, scootered and skipped, slid on trays down the hills when it snowed, and generally had fun. Jill was very shy, she had wispy blonde curls which mum always tied with a ribbon each side, and she always had a beautiful smile for everyone. When Jill was 5 years old she started school at Greenacres Infants School which was just across the road to our house, later she graduated to Parkside Junior School, and then on to Campions Secondary Modern. One thing was evident at quite an early age and that was Jill could draw extremely well and her handwriting was beautiful….there was always a page of Jill’s work pinned on the classroom wall with a gold star attached. Jill was in the school netball team too, and a good player, She was not to keen on having to wear the PE kit consisting of baggy navy blue knickers and white vest top! In Jills teenage school years, and the era of “Mods and the Rockers”, Jill’s eye for fashion became apparent, she would modify her school uniform to a very short skirt, ditch the white shirt and add a tea shirt which she had added her own design, she removed the school tie from her neck and tied it round her waist like a belt. After a few days the headmistress was alerted to Jill’s unusual attire, and Jill was sent home to change into the regulation school uniform. Jill knew that she wanted to be a hairdresser, and when she was 13 hers old found herself a Saturday job, sweeping up and washing hair at a salon in Borehamwood High Street. On leaving school at 15 she entered into an apprenticeship in the same salon. She mastered the techniques of cutting, bleaching and colouring hair. There was no stopping Jill then. She would read all the hair fashion magazines and copy the latest craze in hairstyles. Mum and Dad would not know if she would come home with cropped pink pearl tinted blonde hair one week or ash blue the next. But she always looked absolutely stunning. Jill had a very busy social life, during the week after work their was always one or two of the local lads coming up to our house, Jill would crop their hair for them and then they would stay chatting drinking endless coffee till very late! the weekends were spent Clubbing, going to “The Links” club our local dance hall, or meeting at a pub with friends. Sunday nights Jill would go to Watford to the Top Rank Ballroom. However late she got home, she was always up and ready for work the next day. Jill at one time in her teenage years decided to go and work in Spain, in Tossa- de- mar. She was determined to go, even though Mum and Dad were concerned about her. She quickly found a job in a hairdressers, she had to work very hard and long hours, unfortunately she had an accident cutting her finger badly with scissors and was unable to carry out her duties. She had to find alternative employment, Jill managed to get a job as a DJ in a night club, but the pay was not enough to live on, so she searched around and found a day job in a taverna frequented by Spanish only, which was run by a delightful couple Dolores and Juan. Jill quickly learnt fluent Spanish as this was the only way to communicate with the customers. Jill was treated like a family member by Dolores & Juan and it was not very long before they invited her to live-in with their family. In a very short time Jill found herself mixing with the locals and chatting to them in spanish while they did their laundry in the street troughs. She loved this life, and became very fond of Dolores and Juan. In 1970 Jill was out clubbing in Swiss Cottage, London at “The Voom Voom Club”. She was aware of a young man she had seen quite a few times on previous visits looking over at her quite noticiably, there were a few smiles exchanged…It was Jim. He came across, they chatted, they both were aware of quite a powerful attraction to each other. Literally hours went by, but then Jim told Jill he had to leave as he had to pick up a couple of Nuns from the airport…….. Jill sensing that this was the “brush off” called his bluff and said “i’ll come along with you then! “ So off they went to the airport, and sure enough to Jill’s amazement 2 nuns walked through the arrival gate, and greeted Jim with a big hug……..It was Jim’s Aunt Bridie and a companion of hers. Jill was clad in night club clothes, mini skirt, and fluffy styled blonde hair but Aunt Bridie fell in love with Jill, Jill had such a way with people, it did not matter who or what they were. Jill and Aunt Bridie became firm friends. After their first date, Jim travelled to Borehamwood every night after work to be with Jill, they did not want to be apart. Three weeks later I walked in to the kitchen at home late one evening and Jill was in deep conversation with Mum and Dad. The conversation was: “ Mum, Dad, I know Jim and I have only been seeing each other for three weeks but we want to get married, we know we love each other, and want to get married NOW!. we don’t want to wait”……! Dad and Mum were a little shocked to put it mildly, but those of you who knew my dad (Bill) can probably picture how he would have replied……”That’s not giving us a lot of time to save up for another wedding Love.” (I was due to be married to Alan in less than 2 weeks). Five months later on February 12th 1972 they were married at Barnet Registry Office, and a huge party followed at a village hall in Radlett. I have spoken to Jim, and questioned him about his decision to propose to Jill so soon after meeting her, and he said “I knew that she was the girl for me the moment we met….so why wait, we both could not wait to be together”. 44 years on, their love for one another has stood the test of time, and was the best decision they could have made. Jim’s Mum and Dad were amazed by Jill. Jim’s Mum knew that Jim was bringing Jill along to meet her, and was looking down from the balcony of their flat. She saw Jim’s car pull up and saw a beautiful blonde step out of the car….she was just flabbergasted … in a lovely way. Mary & Joe took to her straight away. Mum and Dad loved her so much, and always made comments to Jill about her hair and choice of clothes. Jill and Jim honeymooned in Suffolk and on their return home decided that they would like to move there. Jim transferred his job to the Felixstowe area, and Jill found herself a job doing hairdressing, but 6 months later they decided they did not like it, and so sold up and moved back to Luton. Jim encouraged Jill to take driving lessons, so that she could have some independence, and be able to visit her family and friends easily. Driving lessons started…and after many, many lessons Jill applied for her driving test. Jim wanted to buy Jill a present on passing her driving test, so he purchased an old mini, and as it was to be a surprise he parked it at the end of the road. Jill sadly failed her test, but continued to take lessons… eventually it got to the 4th driving test, the mini still parked down the end of their street was very dirty now, and looked like it had been dumped! One morning Jim saw a tow truck about to tow it away.( one of the neighbours had reported it as an eyesore, with no owner evident) Jim ran down and explained why it was parked there for so many months, they saw the funny side of the situation and they agreed to leave it where it was. Jill did pass fourth time! Jim took her down the road to surprise her with the mini, she laughed so much at Jim’s tale. Jill decided to have a change from hairdressing and with her flair for fashion and design, got a position working for BHS Stores as a window dresser, she loved designing the window displays and was very good at it. Whilst working their she got through to the finals of Miss Personality for the BHS group….. Her beautiful smile evident in the photographs.She won second place. Jill also worked as a home help for a while, she loved all the people she had to visit. The time allocated to each visit was very short, Jill always got personally involved and ended up going back in her own time to have a chat over a cup of tea, and would even give them a shampoo and set if they wanted.They loved Jill, but she eventually had to give up the job as getting so personally involved was affecting her health. A few years after Jill & Jim were married, they booked a holiday to Callella in Spain. Jill asked Jim if he would like to get the boat over to Tossa de Mar and see if they could find the Taverna that she used to work in 5 years earlier. Jim said “yes i’d like to do that”, so they got the boat over and after some searching Jill found the Taverna. They went in and ordered a brandy, it was not Dolores or Juan behind the bar. Jill spoke to the new owner and asked if he knew Dolores and Juan….he did, and said that Juan came in for a drink most evenings, so Jill and Jim decided to wait, downing a number of brandies in the meantime! Juan came in quite a lot later that night, he spotted Jill, she smiled her lovely smile, and then he embraced her warmly. He reached in his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a photograph of Jill. He never forgot her. This was how Jill touched the lives of so many. Jill loved our Mum and Dad so very much, they gave so much to Jill, Colin & I. We were showered with love and affection. Jill made sure that every milestone they reached was celebrated, she wanted them to know what loving parents they had been to us, and how much they were loved in return. The same went for Mary & Joe, Jim’s Mum & Dad, she loved them dearly too. She loved her pets, Sandy, Bonny Mitzi Chloe, and little Pebbles who gave Jill unconditional devotion throughout her illness. , Jill has always been a homemaker, her home has always been a pleasure to walk into, with her loving touches evident everywhere. Jill loved entertaining, and parties and get togethers for family and friends were organised regularly. My two daughters Tracy and Paula adored Jill and looked forward to being part of the celebrations that Jill organised. Jill would start preparing food days before, beautiful cooked Coronation chicken, curries, lasagnes, so many dishes. A lot of these parties were held in the garden. Jim, Colin, Bill and Chester would set up their guitars and amplifiers in the garden of Canella Cottage, which was their home for many years and would entertain us for hours with their music. After a few hours Jill would be summoned to sing “her song” with Jim. “Sing picture book” everyone would shout, and Jill always did. Better known as Going Back by Dusty Springfield. Jim would strum his guitar and Jill would sing, both looking into each other eyes all the way through. So much in love. Where Jim was Jill was never far away. I cherish the lifetime spent with my sister, her beautiful smile, her caring loving ways. “I love you Jill and always will.” Your loving sister Shell x x x x