Former Sheppey magistrate Joan Evelyn Cordell has died aged 95
10:00, 22 October 2015
updated: 15:28, 22 October 2015
Former Island magistrate Joan Evelyn Cordell has died at the age of 95.
She had been a resident of Beechfields Care Home, Teynham, for three years and passed away after a short illness.
She will be remembered with great affection by many for her tireless work in the community.
For 21 years she served as a magistrate, and ran the Sheppey Family Planning Group for 18 years.
Always a willing listener to those in need, she was instrumental in finding accommodation for unmarried mothers and offered foster respite care. From 1961 to 1995, the family home was in Minster Road.
She was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2004.
A busy wife and mother-of-three, foster daughter Ellen became part of the family.
Her husband Keith died in 1982 at the age of 66.
He too had shared her interests, was a teacher at Sheppey School and served as a Labour councillor.
Of all her achievements, the setting up of a victim support group was her proudest and she chaired it for eight years.
She continued as a volunteer until the age of 88, reassuring victims traumatised by events.
She also worked in witness protection.
For young people having to give evidence, she was unfaltering in her support.
Away from the pressures of office, she enjoyed several crafts, including watercolour painting, making hand jewellery and was an excellent knitter and needlewoman.
As a member of the Sexburga Stitchers, she made many of the kneelers and cushions for Minster Abbey.
When running the large family home, she moved to a house in nearby Rosemary Avenue, where she lived happily until her eyesight began to fail and her memory weakened.
In the care home, she was a lively and popular resident visited often by her many Island friends.
She leaves daughters Jane and Ellen, son Simon and seven grandchildren.
Sadly she was predeceased by eldest son John, who died aged 64 last year.
Because of her frail health she was not told of his death.
Her funeral will be held at The Garden of England Crematorium on October 29 at noon. Family flowers only.
