A woman who lived with energy and zest, who gave a piece of herself to every picture she painted, who adored Jock, her husband of 58 years, her children, grandchildren and her animals, whose acute sense of humour touched every day who treasured her friends, her social gatherings and her travels, took her final journey on 6th January 2009.
From the scholarship at Goldsmiths College, to the Women's Land Army, to the Red Cross in Burma and India, to life in Malaysia returning to England with family, to regular international journeys to exotic destinations, to visiting beloved friends and family abroad, Bobbie took each step with a sense of excitement.
Each picture she drew or painted was awarded her entire attention, ability and talent and each picture gave, and continues to give, untold pleasure and delight to so many people around the world. Every flower or animal she viewed through her artist's eyes and she could see potential in everything.
Bobbie was a strong woman who was never reticent about sharing her opinions! She was also an independent person with an innate sense of grace and dignity, and her laughter and sparkle is much missed. She always had a chippy retort ready which would sometimes catch you unawares before bring you to laughter.
She shared some of her experiences with her daughters but she took many memories with her that she never shared. When she joined the British Red Cross, Lady Baden Powell was on her interview panel, and when later in India, she met Lady Baden Powell again, Lady Baden Powell remembered her from her interview! She never spoke much about the time she was in Burma and dealing with the released Japanese prisoners of war except to say that 'they were in an extremely bad way!'. She told about painting and giving a portrait to the first Prime Minister of the newly independent Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1958, and how pleased he was with it. She shared many stories about sharing fun times with longtime friends, Pat and Denis, in Malaysia, playing hours of Canasta! There are many photos that attest to the merriment!
She was fiercely proud of her children's accomplishments and when her granchildren came along, she became a very proud Nana, sharing the good news of their successes with anyone who would listen. She held herself to a high level of expectations and held others to the same level, which was sometimes hard but it was always a learning moment!
She made friends wherever she went, whether it was the washstand in a French campground where she met and befriended Janine Cuendet from Switzerland, or walking the dogs along the clifftop at Barton on Sea.
She was a communicator and her daughters, Susanne, Lindsay and Carolyn carry on the tradition with pride and humour.