A funeral service was held at All Saints’ Church, Wold Newton on Thursday February 25, for Mrs Gwendolyne Mary Blunden (formerly of Filey) who died peacefully on February 13. She was aged 95 years.
The service was conducted by the Rev Barbara Hodgson and the organist was Mr Dick Robinson.
Gwendolyne, better known as Mollie, was born on Boxing Day 1920 to James and Gertrude Wilson at Wold Newton Grange. It was thick snow and the doctor couldn’t make it through, so advised her father it would be like lambing and her father delivered her. She attended Wold Newton School from the age of three-and-a-half and had to walk the mile-and-a-half to school. She left school at the age of 14 and became a hairdresser in Hunmanby, biking to work.
In 1940 she met Eddie at a dance in Sledmere where he was stationed. As Eddie was due to go overseas they got a special license and were married in April, 1941 at Wold Newton Church. Eddie went to Burma until 1946.
Mollie went to Leeds for government training to be a toolmaker, then worked at Smart and Browns in Keighley on milling machines. She was the only woman and the men there didn’t like it, but Mollie made the way for the next women.
On Eddie’s return they moved to Filey where they bought a guest house and it was there they raised their four children. Always being part of the community, Mollie baked for the church and fund raising. People would stand and wait at the cake stall until the trays of apple pies and scones arrived, usually still warm.
Molly and Eddie loved dancing and going to dinner dances. In later life they loved going on cruises, dancing their way all round the world. Mollie did her last cruise at the age of 89. They moved to Driffield in 1997 to be near to family in their retirement. Eddie passed away in 2002 after 61 wonderful years of marriage.
Mollie loved gardening, knitting and watching sport.
To sum up her life Mollie filled in a memory book and it ended with what things in life made her the happiest which were: Bringing up her family, having a wonderful and caring husband, and meeting so many people from all walks of life.
In 2013 Mollie moved into Southlands due to failing health. Mollie loved her family and she will be greatly missed.
Family Mourners: Derrick and Vivienne Blunden (son and daughter in law), Patricia and Alistair Neilson (daughter and son in law), Sally and Jes Stabler (daughter and son in law) rep Elizabeth granddaughter in Australia, Richard and Julie Blunden (son and daughter in law), Murray Neilson, Laura Stamp and husband James, Victoria Stabler, Oliver, Henry and George Blunden (grandchildren), Keith Poole (nephew), Maureen (niece) and Steve Gregory and Angela (niece) and Johnny.
Others present: Chris and Ruth Winter, Christine and Michael Wilson, John Ward, Margaret Hart, Anne and Will Dewing, Debbie and Gordon Robinson, Ross Nielson.