Susan JaneJOHNSTONESue Johnstone, of Four Lanes, Redruth, sadly passed away peacefully at Treliske Hospital on 26 August 2020, aged 73. Beloved wife of Alan. Beloved mother of Vickie and Matt. Sue will be forever in our hearts. A private funeral was held at Treswithian Downs Crematorium on 8 September. Donations are being received for Sue’s favourite charity, the RSPB. All enquiries to the funeral directors W J Beswetherick & Son Ltd, Central House, Fairmantle Street, Truro Tel 01872 274021 Sue Johnstone grew up in Gants Hill, London in the 1950s and 60s. Her parents were Hilda (Peggy) and Harold (John) Walker. The family often holidayed at Mill Beach when she was a child. She went to Gearies School. From 1962, Sue worked at The Cable Press in London and at The Plessey Co in Ilford, Essex from 1968. After she married, Sue moved with her husband, Alan, and children, Vickie and Matthew, to live in Slade Green around 1972, followed by Erith and then Bexleyheath. Alan was a train driver, based at Slade Green. Sue took some years off work to raise their children. Sue was very close to her parents, who used to visit every weekend, her mum baking the most wonderful puddings. Sue loved animals and nature, and the house was always full of pets – like a mini zoo. She used to take in abandoned animals whom people couldn’t care for any more, including a pregnant cat and a duck! Sue also loved reading and always had her nose in a book. From 1977, Sue worked at Parkinson Staff Bureau in Dartford, followed by The Wellcome Foundation in Dartford. In 1987, the family moved to Cornwall in 1987, to run Treswithian Stores in Camborne, just missing the hurricane that hit London. Sue was happy to leave the hustle and bustle of London, and loved the quieter, slower pace of Cornwall. Sue later became the manageress of Perran View Holiday Park, including The Talk of the West nightclub and leisure complex. This suited her sociable nature. Alan remembers going to the club while she was working and seeing her chatting away to the various bands, singers and comedians performing there, including Jethro. Sue then worked at Cornwall Coliseum at St Austell and later managed another camp site. Sue’s last job before retirement was at Tesco in Poole in the photo lab, where colleague Tony remembers her quick wit: “One Halloween at work she dressed up as a witch, complete with the witch’s hat and scraggly hair, and she was sitting in the photo lab working, and a chap walked past and said, ‘Ere, luv, you didn’t need to wear that!’ Your mum’s reply was: ‘If I really was a witch I’d make you disappear!’ The man’s chin hit the floor and I was rolling about laughing!” Vickie recalls lovely days spent with Sue driving around the Cornish countryside and to the seaside. She loved the sea and had a sweet tooth, especially for chocolate. Some favourite places included Paradise Park in Hayle, Trebah gardens, Perranporth, Falmouth, Portreath, Gwithian and Tintagel. Sue and Alan used to enjoy walking their two spaniels in Portreath and Gwithian. Sue was a very keen decorator and loved changing the look of the house, regularly moving the furniture around. Alan says he would quite often come in from work to find the colour of a wall had changed or everything had been moved around! When she eventually retired, Sue was keen to keep her mind busy and keep active, and during lockdown she spent hours in the garden with Alan. She adored her garden and the bird feeders were always full to encourage them to visit. Her favourite colour was green and she supported the RSPB charity. Sue really liked the Peace rose and poppies, and was very proud of her orchids. She was well known in Four Lanes village and a trip to the shop would involve a chat with everyone.
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