The funeral service that caters for everyone’s needs

Barbara Hilton

(18th September 1931 - 18th February 2021)

Mum didn’t have a conventional childhood but we loved the occasional stories she would let slip. Like walking in Hyde Park with her pet monkey on her shoulder. Her love of ballet (a potential career as a dancer was dashed when she grew too tall). Modelling fur coats up and down Regent Street. The many, many animals she loved and nurtured – really she should have been a vet.  Mum enjoyed a long career in fashion retail starting off behind the scenes (not allowed to serve a customer for two years) and working her way up to buyer.  Then, stories of buying trips to London, staying at the Dorchester to watch the fashion shows.

Mum gave up work when she married and had children. She was devoted to Bob and they were married for over 50 years. They had Patricia and Antony and provided them with a loving and pretty idyllic childhood with most importantly, the security that she had not enjoyed. Living first in Bramhall and then Cheadle Hulme Bob and Barbara (or B&B as they were known) threw great parties and wined and dined family and friends on home grown produce and home brewed beer and wine. During this time, Mum also owned and ran two dress shops, ably assisted by Dad. She was, quite simply, the best Mum you could ever ask for.

Mum and Dad retired to Orleton in Shropshire where in typical fashion they threw themselves into village life. They joined the gardening club, ran the friendship club, were active members of the PCC. Mum did the church flowers – they even got into bowling. They remodelled the garden and showed it off on open garden days. The grandchildren remember fondly the smell of Mum’s fridge and pantry, picking fruit in the garden, playing games on the lawn and running across the fields at the back of the house to the swings. At every point of her life Mum made friends.

The last 7 1/2 years Mum has lived in Hinchley Wood. Again, she became completely involved in the community at Gibson Court, making friends along the way. She was on the committee, active in the WRVS, played in the scrabble club, drove a group of ladies out to lunch every month and to church weekly. Even during the pandemic, she organised ‘happy time’ for a group of friends to enjoy a drink and test each other with quiz questions. As Mum’s health declined, she did not complain or moan. In fact she loved her little red wheel chair and Trish was forever asking her to slow it down as she bashed another dent in the skirting board proclaiming that she was a better driver now!

The last 3 ½ years Barbara has been cared for, predominantly by Kelly who became Mum’s closest friend and was with her at the end. The ultimate act of love and friendship I think.   

Charity Donation In Memory of Barbara Hilton

Donate to Age UK Surrey

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Age UK Surrey Donations

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£30.00


Obituary

Age UK Surrey

£30.00 + Gift Aid of £0.00

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A Few Kind Words...

Dear Mr Alan Greenwood, I cannot thank you and your team in Bookham enough, for the excellent service they provided in every respect in the Cremation of my wife.

Your resident Funeral Consultant Mary fully explained all we needed to understand and advised the options available to us.

Her in depth knowledge of all the service providers including, Order of Service, authors and print selection, Celebrant, Hall and refreshments.

So many things which without her I would have been lost.

In the past few days I have received so very many complements and praise for the service you gave.

Do please allow other potential clients to share our experience.

Yours sincerely

Terry Eves-Thorpe

Sheila Eves-Thorpe

“Lynn, Bruce and I thank you so much for the wonderful understanding and help you have given us over the past days.It has been a difficult time but made so much easier by your guidance. With your kindness, we feel we managed to say our goodbyes to ‘Roger’, ‘Dad’ and ‘Grandy’ – showing our love and thanks to him for looking after us so perfectly over the years.”

Pat Clark

“Dear John,

Thank you for the wonderful service, support and help you offered me and the way you looked after my partner Bob, after he passed away.

From the professionalism and courtesy your team showed on that most traumatic moment – taking Bob from our house – to your kindness, and surefooted advice, the recommendation of the Celebrant, and then your kindness in coming to the cremation as well.

It’s been the hardest month or so of my life and yet I was so pleased with how the service went, the wonderful order of service you arranged and helped me with and of course the music as well. Throughout it all you treated me with respect, dignity and gave me such helpful advice. I’m not sure I would have managed well without that. Even more, I can now look back and reflect that the day went well and represented my partner and our love so well.

I think it’s important to thank people when they have done such a great job.”

Douglas

“We would like to thank you for a friendly and professional service and especially Adam who made a good job of the service, and a big thanks to Jane who was a great help and showed much kindness. We would recommend your company.”

Chris & Mike Whalen

“I just wanted to drop you a line to say a massive thank you for everything you have done over the last two weeks. When I walked into Alan Greenwood’s on the 5th November I didn’t know where or how I was going to organise my lovely Mum’s funeral and the thought of it horrified me, you made a daunting job so much easier and were there to guide me all the way until the day of the funeral.”

I can’t thank you enough for your kind words, thoughts and help during this very difficult time. Losing someone as precious as mum is very hard but you helped so much. Thank you for everything you have done for mum, myself and my family.”

Sue, Mundy, Luke and Faye

“Dear Jo,

Thanks so much for all you did leading up to the funeral. None of us could have got through it without your support.

Many thanks for everything you did for us, for all your help and for making a very sad day so easy. Your support has been amazing.

A huge thank you. Your dedication made saying farewell to Mum all the more bearable.”

Sue, Vicki, Clare & Richard

“Just a note to say a huge thank you to yourself and the wonderful team at Send Greenwoods, they took care of us all yesterday at Les Ingram’s funeral. I’ve really valued your help and support over the last few weeks and the wonderful men yesterday went beyond their ‘call of duty’. They were certainly there at our great time of need. Please pass on my thanks to everyone. I also enclose four more donations. Many thanks again.”

Judith Hookins

“Dear Donna,

Just a little something to say thank you very much for all of your kind support during a very difficult time.

You really went above and beyond to help us and it was truly appreciated.

Thank you for helping us organise such a personal and fitting service for Margaret and everything else that you did for us.”

Bill, Sandra, Vicki and Family

“I would like to say a huge thank you to both Carina at Alan Greenwood and Sons in Frimley and the Celebrant. When my mother-in-law passed, we had absolutely no idea what we were doing other than needing to contact a funeral directors. After calling, Carina invited us into the Frimley branch for an informal chat and made us feel at ease straight away. She talked us through every step whilst being compassionate, caring and professional during the whole process. It was a difficult time that was made so much easier by the way Carina and Maria handled everything. When the Celebrant contacted us we were unsure of what we wanted for the service, with his knowledge and understanding he helped us to put together a service that was both relaxed, professional and perfectly suited to us. Thank you to the whole team!”

Sarah

“To all that it concerns, thank you seems hardly enough for making our Pops (William Hadaway) day very special with love and dignity from the beginning to the end you all made the day very special as well as his wishes you were there for all the family and made it a bit easier for us all to handle, couldn’t have wished for anything more. Many thanks again.”

Mark Hadaway & family

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