Today would have been Ruth Wilkes’ 47th birthday.
I met Ruth a dozen or so times, usually connected with Maureen’s former job at Dovedales nursery in Chelmsford. Fun and cheekiness are the two words that come to mind. She would always hug me. When asked how she was, more often than not the answer was “living the dream”, which always made me smile. Maureen remembers Ruth pinching her bum – and a shed load of other people’s buttock cheeks – on a regular basis. She also had a passion for children, and strong ideas on upbringing and nurture.
Ruth was found hanging from her attic three years ago.
Maureen recalls in particular a day out with Ruth at Maldon, accompanied by Rory and by Ruth’s two children, Jacob and Rebecca. Sitting by a lake where swans nest, Ruth was beside herself with glee that Maureen was unsure whether or not swans could fly. And never let her forget it.
RIP Ruth. Your rays of sunshine are missed.
The Biscuit Factory 