Elizabeth Angela Cole 1945 - 2016
From the Parish News – January 2017
The recent death of Liz Cole was a doubly sad occasion. Not only did we lose a good friend and neighbour who had lived in both Alburgh and Denton but it brought to an end our long and close association with the Vass family.
Elizabeth Angela Cole, nee Vass, was born in Reading, Berkshire on 11th July 1945. As the daughter of a serving army officer, who rose to the rank of Lt Colonel, she travelled widely as a child with spells in Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany as well as the UK. With her two sisters, Sue and Wendy, she thus attended various schools in all these locations.
Back in the UK and leaving school at 16, she worked in a number of different fields before, in the late sixties, discovering her forte. Her career then involved a series of motoring-related management jobs including car hire and breakdown services rising to senior positions in both fields. Unfortunately during this period her marriage, to David Cole, ended in divorce. But, typically, Liz did not let this, or anything else, get her down. She always seemed to be the most out-going and positive individual.
It was Liz’s late sister Wendy who provided the link to this area. In 1986 Wendy, married to Angus McGill, moved to Denton from Hertfordshire to take over the Denton village shop and post office at Chapel Corner. When, four years later, the shop closed it was converted to a granny annexe and the girls’ parents, Maurice and Vera Vass, moved in. Unfortunately Wendy then became very ill and Liz moved to this area to help look after her. After Wendy’s death in 1995, she cared for her, by then widowed, mother until she too passed away. During this period Liz worked for a number of local families, living in houses in Denton and Alburgh, making good friends in both villages.
When Angus’ health also declined and he had gone into sheltered accommodation, Liz moved into the Old Post Office herself before her final move to Chapelfield in 2014. Sadly her own health then declined and on November 13th she passed away at the NNUH with her two devoted nieces, Emma and Katie, by her bedside. Following her cremation, a memorial service was held at St Mary’s church on November 26th, conducted by Chris Whipps. There her two nieces supported by their father, Liz’s brother-in-law Stuart Fenwick, and some of her oldest friends paid tribute to a wonderful and much-loved lady.
(Obituries for Vera, Wendy and Angus have also appeared in the Parish Magazine.)