Mrs. W. Evans

The Rhos, Haverfordwest

The oldest resident of The Rhos and Slebech area, Mrs. Winifred Evans, died on Monday, June 12. She was 97 and had been a patient at Withybush Hospital for three days.

Winnie, as she was known to so many friends, had lived at Red Houses, The Rhos, for 67 years.

Born at Exeter in October 1919, she came to Wales with her parents when very young and was brought up at Gwynfe, Carmarthenshire, where she quickly learned Welsh in the village school.

When Winnie was only eight her father died suddenly, leaving two small children. Although times in the 1930s were hard for her mother, Winnie recalled a very happy childhood.

Leaving school at 14, she had several jobs in service before working on a farm - a life she loved. In 1941, Winnie joined the Women’s Land Army and was posted to Pembrokeshire.

During the war years, she worked first at Rosehill Farm, The Rhos, and then Picton Home Farm. She met her husband, Ronnie, and they were married at Gwynfe Church in December 1945. Initially, they set up home in a farmyard flat at Picton Home Farm before moving to Red Houses in 1950.

Winnie had a great love of animals, plants, trees and shrubs and set about creating a very natural garden around the family home. In later years, she derived great pleasure in being able to look out over her garden and discussing wildlife and nature with her many visitors and friends. Through her letters, she kept in contact with friends and family around the world and also enjoyed embroidery.

Always much involved in community activities, Winnie was a founder member of Rhos WI.

Predeceased by husband Ronnie in 1981, her only brother Jack in 2015 and elder son David in January 2016, Winnie is survived by son and daughter-in-law John and Christine Evans; daughter-in-law Eirys Evans; granddaughter Caroline; four grandsons Gary, Robert, Thomas and Jonathan; great-grandchildren Dylan and Amelie and nephew and niece Tim and Elizabeth Knight.

A private service at the house, where Winnie had rested overnight, was conducted by the Rev. Mark Griffiths, former Vicar of Slebech. Millin Cross Presbyterian Chapel, The Rhos, was full for the funeral service on Friday, June 30, conducted by the minister, the Rev. Jonathan Kirk, and the Rev. Mark Griffiths. The organist was Mrs. Miranda Davies and the bearers were the four grandsons. Burial was in the chapel graveyard.

Chief mourners were: John, Christine and Eirys Evans (son and daughters-in-law); Caroline and Clement Evans-Rhein (granddaughter and husband); Gary and Julie Evans; Robert and Claire Evans; Thomas Evans and Masha Sibiryakova; Jonathan Evans and Kiran Kaur (grandsons, wives and partners); Tim Knight and Jo Gill and Elizabeth Knight and Tom Jamieson (nephew, niece and partners); Mary Gough, Garfield and Mary Evans (cousins).

Unable to attend were Miss Olive Evans (sister-in-law) and Mrs. Dilys Hanmer (cousin).

There were family flowers only. Flowers for the chapel were given by Mrs. Susie Philipps from the gardens of Picton Castle and flowers for the house were from many relatives and friends.

Donations in memory of Winnie, for three favourite charities - PDSA, Age Cymru and the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust - are being received by Tom Jamieson, 167 Haven Road, Haverfordwest, SA61 1DL.

Funeral arrangements were by Roy Folland and Son, funeral directors, Cartlett, Haverfordwest.