Tributes have been paid to a “much loved teacher” following her death.

Helen Bowen, who lived in Hartley, inspired generations of children by sharing her love of languages at schools across Kent.

She taught at Longfield School, St John’s Catholic School and St George’s Church of England School in Gravesend and Rochester Grammar School for Girls.

Helen was born on April 21, 1950, at Boundary Park Hospital in Oldham, and was the daughter of a methodist minister.

Growing up in a minister’s household, she developed a love of singing which continued throughout her life.

When she was seven, Helen started to learn to play the piano and her children remember what they referred to as the “daily morning alarm call in which they had to endure mum’s loud and enthusiastic rendition from the Methodist Hymn book.”

She also sang in a Christmas concert last year despite being unwell.

Her love of languages started at an early age, and her sister Pam remembers holding conversations with Helen in the car in French so their parents could not understand what they were saying to each other.

After attending university in Cardiff, Helen enjoyed hitchhiking trips to France and developed a “real sense of adventure which continued well into retirement.”

“She bravely faced her last months with good humour, enjoying the company of family and friends and trusting in her Christian faith...”

She met her husband Tom, who was also a teacher, while working at a Methodist Guild Holiday in 1969. They were married in 1972 and moved to Kent.

She taught Modern Foreign Languages and former students remember Mrs Bowen as kind and a good listener.

She is also remembered as “always smiling” and from having a “wicked and witty sense of humour.”

This included playing her favourite Édith Piaf tapes to annoy her colleagues during Rochester Grammar School open days.

One of her colleagues said: “I remember the Rochester Grammar School trip to China in 2004 when we shared a room in various hotels – she was a great travelling companion.

“I particularly remember the overnight train journey from Beijing to Xian when Helen and I had the top bunks in our compartment and had such a laugh clambering up and down without a ladder.”

Helen had a great sense of humour, loved silly jokes and is also remembered for being a very bad cheat at card games.

She had a life-long love of animals and her own pets included Simon the cat and Harry the rescue greyhound.

After they retired, Helen and Tom moved to Hellidon in Northants. Tom died after a long illness in 2020.

Soon after his death, Helen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and she “bravely faced her last months with good humour, enjoying the company of family and friends and trusting in her Christian faith.”

She died aged 73 and is survived by her sister Pam, her children William and Lizzy and her grandchildren Alice and Harriet.