Rhona Bartlett (10 Dec 1937 - 1 Jun 2019)

In loving memory of Rhona Bartlett (nee Smith) who sadly passed away on 1st June 2019. Rhona was 81 years old and although unexpected, died peacefully in her own bed at home.
Rhona's childhood was split between High Wycombe and the north of England, particularly in Cumbria, Alston, where her family, dad, mum, Auntie Min and sister Anne, ran a small hotel called Lowbyer Manor House. Rhona left school to train and become a State Registered Nurse, where she met her husband-to-be, a patient called Ron Bartlett!
The next 10 years were a whirlwind of creating their family and travelling. They had 3 children, though the first, Patricia Rhona sadly died a few short weeks after birth; then came Dawn Rhona and Richard Geroge. Rhona spent 2 years in Calcutta, India and during this time she had Richard in a planned visit back to the U.K. Then the family spent 5 wonderful years in Japan.
Rhona loved Japan and she worked as a nurse and teacher to the English Estate where they lived, including teaching Dawn and Richard. The family explored much of Japan and Rhona learnt to ski and swim here - though they were never favourite pastimes of hers ... she preferred woodcarving or playing bridge.
The family moved back to the UK - Upper Belvedere, Kent in 1970 where Rhona worked as a peripatetic support teacher. Shortly after Ron retired from work in 1989 they moved to Leven, East Yorkshire. Ron died ten years later and Rhona continued to enjoy life in this part of the country. However she did develop diabetes type II and had a triple heart by-pass in 2008. Because of declining health, she came to live in a self-contained annexe with Dawn and her family back in Gravesend, Kent in 2014. Now was a much quieter period of Rhona's life though she did attend a chair-fit class twice a week which she thoroughly enjoyed.
It was here, in her last home that she died of a heart attack, early on that Saturday morning.