Women who inspire

A better woman I’ve never known, since day one my love has grown. Her smile infectious, her wisdom unbound, a more beautiful lady will n’er be found.

This is my Nan, she is also Nan to anyone she met. Her name you ask.? Nancy Pearce, Nan for short. She was an archaeologist, a mother, a Nan, a great Nan, a wife and of course a friend. The first thing you would notice upon meeting her ,is the infectious happiness that glows from within. She loved to meet you even if she knew not who you were, she loved to talk, to read, to garden, to bake.. the list goes on. She loved!! She loved so much and so many with a love seldom seen. She didn’t discriminate, if you were in her home you would have tea and flapjack before you knew it!

Nan loved to spuddle, if a field had been ploughed she was in it! On bended knees, flint checking, earth browsing. She had such a collection.. so much so that Exeter museum now proudly display a large portion of her findings.. arrow heads, scrapers, axe heads! You cannot fathom how exciting all this was when we were young.

Children, another passion of hers! My gosh they were spoilt, every grandchild and great grandchild has the most amazing memories of visiting Nanny Cuckoo! So called for the wonderful cuckoo clock that adorned her wall,( also quite apt as the years went on)! She would read stories to us, wrap us in hugs made of pure love, and create smells in her kitchen that now as adults we cannot forget, catch newts from the pond to observe and release, spy slow worms and grass snakes from under the sheet of corrugated iron in the garden. Hatch frogspawn before releasing the little frogs later on, watch caterpillars turn into butterflies. Those days were gold.

The day I held her hand and said goodbye was the hardest day of my entire life. I did not imagine ever losing her, she was always there until she was not. I long to feel her arms, I long for a bedtime story, I long for accidental mince pies containing real mince meat ,ooops! I long to hear “everything will be ok” or “smile and the world smiles with you!” I long for a game of build a beatle or mahjong. I long for days gone by. If I could be half the woman she was I will be a very proud woman. Honest, loyal, always smiling, helping anyone who should need it.. this, this is MY role model.

Miss you always Nanny Cuckoo ❤️