This site is a tribute to Joan Chicken.

Beloved mum of Helen, Robert, Kenneth and Frances, treasured grandmother to Tom, Ross, Claire and Laura and great grandmother to Alex, Ben, Finn and George.  She will always be fondly remembered for her kindness, patience, sense of humour and occasional devilment! 

Born in Cardiff to Victorian parents, they were troubled times with the horrors of WW1 still raw and a world struggling to recover. She was a late baby and rather sickly in her early years - not expected to survive past childhood. She took great delight in the fact that she had reached her hundreds!

With her father at sea during most of her early years, her mum held everything together at home. They moved to High Cross near Newport where she grew up with her two older brothers Alec and Theo and older sister Maureen. The family were all musical - her mum was a concert pianist, father played the cello and organ and her brothers played the violin. Most evenings were spent making music together.

When WW2 broke out, she worked at St Woolas hospital in Newport as secretary to a consultant (she delighted in spelling the difficult medical words) moving to Bristol for a while before joining the WRNS and serving in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Towards the end of the war, she met a handsome naval engineer – Roy. After the war they married and moved to Hull where their first child Helen was born. A year later the young family moved to Newport where the Robert, Kenneth and Frances were born.

For many years Joan worked in the WRVS delivering 'meals on wheels' and running a group making children's clothes for struggling families. She looked after her parents until they died aged 89 and 91 in the 1970's. Later she enjoyed working at Uskmouth Power Station. 

When the family had all grown up and left home, they moved to North Petherton and Joan became an active member of the church serving as sacristan for a number of years and also used her dressmaking skills to make a cassock for each member of the church choir. Joan had a love of drawing and painting and attended classes in art for many years. Joan and Roy enjoyed retirement with frequent trips to the seaside and while Roy fished, Joan sketched. They were also members of a number of clubs which provided a social life and enjoyable trips away, but they loved the Somerset countryside the best. They delighted in visiting their extended family (which now included grandchildren) who had spread out across the country.

Sadly, Roy passed in 2001 shortly after his 80th birthday. Joan stayed on in North Petherton, continuing to drive until she was 85 and being very active looking after the house and garden. Determined to be self-sufficient she walked to the local shop every day. Time eventually took its toll and Joan had to move into Oak Trees Care Home in Bridgwater at the age of 95.

Despite failing health, she never lost her sense of humour and staff at the home always remarked how cheery she was, taking part in all sorts of activities - including holding a snake, meeting a Llama and taking part in wheelchair races! Although hard of hearing, she enjoyed conversations with staff and visitors using a white board or notebook.

Aged 101, after a short illness, she passed away quietly with her family around her. A gentle end to a long and eventful life.