Remembering Anne Squires

As we often say, you learn a lot about people at funerals.  Well, the very large congregation (masked and with hands sanitized) in St Mary’s on Friday, 20th August confirmed what we already knew, that Anne was a much loved and respected member of our community.   We also learned more about the rich and full life she had led.  There were people from all parts of that rich life: her loving family, of course, and it was lovely to see on the order of service that golden wedding photograph of Phil and Anne with their four sons and their families.  There were also friends and colleagues from her work with McAlpine, friends and neighbours from around Knighton and many others. The Knighton Parish Singers, with whom Anne regularly sang, performed pieces by Rachmaninov and Mozart that she had particularly enjoyed.  Stephen Foster played another favourite of Anne’s on his bass trombone: “Gabriel’s Oboe" – it worked beautifully!
We were reminded that Anne played the piano and the violin (not a real Stradivarius!) and that she wrote lovely poetry.  Her “Snowdrops at Wistow” was read at the funeral.  She was a regular contributor to this magazine.  Somehow, while doing all these things she managed to complete a degree. What a woman!
I first remember Anne with one of her boys at Tiny Tots many years ago but got to know her better when she joined the Mothers’ Union.   Anne was a much-valued member for more than 10 years.  We spotted her potential as soon as she was enrolled and persuaded her to become secretary of our Knighton branch.  We had struck gold – Anne was excellent.  She arranged our annual programmes of events and outings and dealt with all the paperwork with efficiency and good humour.   More recently, she took on the complicated arrangements for Christingle services which fill St Mary’s church with excited children every December.  Even when she was very ill and bedridden, Anne was compiling information and writing an article for the MUspaper, our Diocesan MU magazine.  She was amazing!  She was lovely and we were privileged to know her.
LP 29/8/21