JenniferSHAH(born 1943) died surrounded by her family at home, in Wiltshire, after a long chronic and painful illness on 20th August 2023.
Married to ex newspaper owner and writer, Eddy Shah, for nearly 56 years, she was a young aspiring, successful model and actress with credits in "Carry on Doctor', The original Bond 'Casino Royal' (her picture on DVD cover with David Niven and Ursula Andress), 'Night Train to Paris', 'Department K' and ''If it's Tuesday, it's Belgium' with Suzanne Pleshette and Ian McShane. She did a number of TV shows for Granada TV's famous Drama Years including the big series, 'The Caesars' (as Caligula's sister).
She met Eddy who was a studio manager, married him and left the showbiz world two years later to have children and set up home in South Manchester. Shah was made redundant three years later and, the couple decided to sell their home and start a newspaper. She was very involved in its early days, (as well as having three children, Martyn, Tamsyn and Alex) and it ended up as the biggest privately owned and run provincial newspaper group. Then Jennifer got cervical cancer, at the same time as the trade unions attacked Shah's printing works. She totally supported her husband through her illness where Christies Cancer Hospital saved her life.
Shah sold the business in 1988 and, apart from investing in leisure businesses, he spent time looking after his wife. She was told three times that she wouldn't last more than two months. The couple dropped out, living on their own, finding ways and investing in medical treatments for her recurring and spreading illnesses. She became wheelchair and bed bound as she fiercely fought for her life, in between hospital and home treatment, for the next eight years. Her family was with her when she passed away in her home.
She is to be buried this week at St Peter's Church in Kington Langley, Wiltshire where they have lived for twenty years.
Keep me informed of updates
Leave a tribute for Jennifer