Many people from the village would have attended Lesley’s funeral at St John’s on October 24th.

It was a perfect autumn day, full of sunshine and colour. The churchyard, Lesley’s final resting place by the side of her beloved Vinnie, was a place of beauty and tranquility.

The following is a eulogy to Lesley written by John Rawlings, Lesley’s eldest son:

Lesley Marie Rawlings 1932 – 2024

‘Lesley was born at Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand in April 1932. Her immediate family, like so many of that time in New Zealand, were second and third generation immigrants who had arrived, some from Scotland and some from France via Tasmania, during the nineteenth century.

She grew up in Southland and Central Otago, part of an extended family who worked on the railways and ran hotels, one of which in Ranfurley was home to Lesley and her two younger sisters during her teenage years.

After attending St Hildas College in Dunedin Lesley trained as a nurse at Timaru in the South Island and then undertook further training as a midwife at Whakatāne in the North Island.

In April 1957 at the age of 25 and newly qualified, she and her friend Gay, a teacher, set off to see England and have an adventure before settling down in their chosen careers. Four weeks later their ship docked at Tilbury and Lesley spent the next two years enjoying the life, working among other things as a nurse, a window dresser in Oxford Street and hop picking in Kent. She travelled throughout the country and Ireland by all accounts having an interesting and wonderful time. 

In the final weeks before leaving for home she found herself working as a Nanny with a family in Padstow, Cornwall. It was there one day that she spied a handsome chap sailing into the harbour with his pals on their way to the Scilly Isles. They met again that evening at the local dance when Cupid’s arrow must have been let loose, it struck home and within weeks Vinney proposed, they became engaged and five months later were married, thus her return to NZ was put on hold.  

Vinney and Lesley set up home in Kenilworth where Vinney’s family had an engineering business. Here they raised three sons and enjoyed a hectic life. Lesley quickly integrated with her in-laws and husband’s friends, loving the challenges of young motherhood; she learned to drive and could be seen ferrying the children around town in an old Austin Seven that Vinney found in Exchange and Mart. She took woodwork classes at the local school, joined the PTA and helped with counselling at the Family Planning Clinic as well as meeting the needs of a busy husband and growing boys. 

In the early 1970’s the family relocated from Kenilworth to an old farmhouse down a rough track at Avon Dassett. Here Lesley turned a rather cold old house into a wonderful family home for Vinney and her boys. She then went on to create a vibrant garden full of wildlife and colour. Inspired by nature and her surroundings she took up painting, joined the local art group and enjoyed friendships that lasted for many years. Her interest in people and the community that she loved led her to join the Mothers Union and work at the local surgery. She and Vinney were regular churchgoers and became involved with the parish council. When time allowed Lesley also nursed some of the village elderly, brightening their days with her cheerfulness and spirit.

It was during their time at Avon Dassett that Lesley’s boys began to “up sticks” and one by one, left home to start their own families. She and Vinney eventually became grandparents to thirteen grandchildren and great grandparents to four, each of whom became happy recipients of their love and kindness over the years  

Lesley went back to New Zealand only twice. Once following the death of her mother in the mid 70’s and again, this time for a few months, with Vinney in 1988. It must have been tough at times being so far from home and family but if it was, Lesley never grumbled. Always an avid letter writer (this was before the internet and email), she maintained regular correspondence with her parents, siblings and wider family. She also encouraged her boys to do likewise which made things very easy for them when they were old enough to visit their cousins, aunts and uncles in the years to come.

Having decided somewhat reluctantly to downsize and leave Avon Dassett, Vinney and Lesley re-located to Stourton in 2007 where they began the final happy chapters of their lives. They brought with them a lifetimes experience of love, life, community and gentle involvement with friends and neighbours. Stourton in turn embraced their kind nature and provided the safe anchorage that they both appreciated and deserved. When Vinney died in 2022 it was the village community that individually and collectively put their arms around Lesley and cherished her until it was her own time to go. 

Our family acknowledge and understand this and wish to thank you all so very much.’

Richard Rawlings