Rosemary Gillingham (Nee Mitchard)

28/01/1944 – 16/07/2023

Rose was a day pupil at Sidcot from 1955 to 1960, joining her older sister Ruth. They lived in Kelvin House (just beyond the playing field) on the Bridgwater Road.

Their parents, non-conformist Christians, were impressed by the ethos of the school.

Rose thoroughly enjoyed her time at Sidcot and her subsequent life of caring and commitment reflected the influence of her time there.

From a young age Rose wanted to be a nurse; she trained in Bristol at the BRI and later was a practice nurse at Backwell for 25 years. She had two children and four grandchildren. In 1970 she and her husband went, with both children under four years old, to help in her church in Guyana, where the family stayed for two years. Messages we have received from Guyana over fifty years later indicate the help she gave to so many.

Rose was courageous, modest, thorough, loyal, kind and empathetic and always had a ready smile. Her kindness, compassion and love touched many people, several of whom told us how much better they felt for having known her.

She bravely fought two battles with cancer but passed away peacefully at home with her close family supported brilliantly by St Peters Hospice.

After 57 years of marriage she has left wonderful memories but a huge hole in our lives.

The messages and cards we received overwhelmed us with the number of lives Rose had touched. She wanted a simple cremation with no fuss but over 180 people turned up at Clevedon Community Centre for the Celebration of her Life. 

Rob Gillingham

Rose & Rob on thier wedding day in 1966