Melinda (Ethel) BURKE

Born of two loving parents on 5th August 1922 in village of Papplewick, 11 miles north of the city of Nottingham.
Father was the village's postman. Mother was housewife, previously in service.
Brother was Freddie, three years older.

Melinda enjoyed what could be seen as an idyllic childhood in a small country village during that romantic period between the wars when farming was at the heart of the community, mechanisation was gradually being introduced while old customs and traditions continued to be important.

Melinda attended the local village school to which she walked with her brother over the fields, some two miles each way. She took part in the annual Maypole dancing, had baths in front of the fire, collected salt from their neighbour and vinegar in a jug from down the street. Light was from paraffin lamps, cooking done on the fire with a "two-holer" up the garden.

In 1931 (aged 9) Melinda wrote in her mother's album "Be a good girl, Lead a good life, Chose a good husband, Make a good wife".

On leaving school, Melinda worked in a the drapery and haberdashery department of a large department store in Nottingham, earning five shillings a week with free lunch and tea!

On the outbreak of war, Melinda enrolled in the British Red Cross and was trained to be a nurse where she worked at Harlow Wood Hospital, Nottinghamshire, (where she met her future husband Ronald as a patient) until formally called up to the Voluntary Aid Detachment in 1943. On her day of leaving home for Haslar RN Hospital, Gosport, her father wrote to her including this advice "Always do what is right even if you suffer for doing it. The pleasure of knowing you did what was right will always compensate for any trouble you may have to bear."

Her brother Fred was missing in the Malayan jungle for over four years during the war before miraculously returning in 1945. Fred died in 1976, just two years after their mother.

Melinda continued her nursing career a several different hospitals right up until her marriage to Ronald in 1949 whereupon she moved to join him in Grosvenor Road, Weymouth where they lived together for over 62 years. Their son Simon was born in 1955.

As a devoted wife and mother Melinda worked hard for her family, making most of their clothes, while also getting involved in many groups and activities in Weymouth. As an active member of St. Aldhem's church, she was a founder of the Young Wives group and helped at the mother and baby clinic which was held in the church hall. Supporting Simon, Melinda organised fund-raising activities for the Radipole Scout Group. Her own creative interests led her to join groups for floral art and cookery. As Simon grew older, Melinda worked as a relief doctors' receptionist at Crescent Street surgery.

It was in retirement that her passion for needlework was rekindled and she developed her skills in embroidery to a high level with her group of friends. Melinda was always pleased to patiently show others the techniques to create stitched artwork whether Dorset buttons or beetles!

Throughout her life Melinda maintained her Christian belief and valued the support of being part of the church.