Remembering Denise

Denise was born in Barnsley, daughter to Annie and George Tate. As a young child she contracted TB and was very unwell but finding her health improved on a seaside holiday, her parents sold their village shop and moved to Hunstanton on the coast in Norfolk. Here, with the benefit of fresh sea air, she continued to get better and back to full fitness. During her recovery she also developed a taste for fresh crab, and this continued and became something she always fancied when feeling poorly.

  Denise had a good education and when she left school went to work in the telephone exchange. It was whilst working here Denise met George, who was serving with the RAF. She was actually dating a friend of his but George won the day! He used to meet her from work and think: ‘Wow, what wonderful legs in those beautiful A-line petticoat skirts.’ That never changed, Denise always looked elegant—she was an absolute lady.

  She married George in 1959. At the time he was stationed in Berlin and after the honeymoon he had to return there alone as it was too dangerous for Denise to accompany him. Later postings in Germany and Great Britain allowed them to be together and during the next decade they had three children:  Suzanne, Simon and Claire. The couple eventually moved to a house in Bracknell and this became the centre of their busy family and social life for the next fifty-four years. It had a large and beautiful garden where the children could play and their parents entertain family and friends.

  Denise had a variety of jobs to fit round the children and family. She was hard working and versatile and took on all manner of roles, including in retail and corporate sales. She also set up a family market business selling soft-furnishings—all to help provide her family with their very much loved holidays. She was a great reader and traveller, and having a retentive memory meant Denise became very knowledgeable—known in the family as ‘Mrs Wikipedia’ and was genuinely always right!

  As they were growing up Denise encouraged and supported her children in every way. There was never such a thing as a problem; it was discussed, cuddled out and resolved. There were plenty of fun-filled holidays with family and friends, as well crazy family Christmases which required many random extensions to their dining table as friends and family numbers grew and grew.

  Denise was a loving and supporting grandmother to all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This came naturally to her and so the fun activities and holidays continued as usual. As the grandchildren grew, it didn’t matter what time they popped in ‘Neecey Girl’, as she became to be known, always cooked for them. She was always proud of all her family’s achievements and would celebrate them, big or small.

  In 2019 Denise and George moved to St Keverne where daughter Claire had a B&B. Here their busy social life continued with many lunches out, picnics and having coffee on their favourite seat overlooking Coverack Harbour. They moved to Porthgwara Nursing Home in Coverack  in 2022 and lived there until Denise passed away in 2024.

     Denise loved her family and they loved her in return—the best wife, mother, grand-nanna, great-grand-nanna, mother-in-law and friend anyone could wish for.

    Forget-Me-Not Memory Café (St Keverne) opened its doors not long before Denise and George moved to Porthgwara. The couple were already well known to and well loved by many of our volunteers who welcomed them to our Thursday afternoon café sessions. Unfortunately Denise was too unwell to join us once she had moved to the nursing home, but George continued to visit and brighten our afternoons.