Monday 10 November 1986

An Obituary For Val Sanders

AN OBITUARY FOR VAL SANDERS

It was with regret that we heard of the death of Val Sanders, of Honeysuckle Cottage, Longbridge Deverill, on the morning of Sunday 2nd November 1986.

Our sympathy goes to her husband, Gordon, and her family and friends at this very sad time.

Val was an integral part of village life, and although it's a phrase we are sadly beginning to hear all too often these days, the valley has lost another of its characters.

An avid reader, with wide-ranging interests, Val had only just volunteered a few days before her untimely death to write a regular column for the about-to-be-relaunched Wylye Valley Life magazine.

She had an ever-open mind and was always willing to learn more, something which was shown by the variety of skills and projects she did, including book-keeping, spinning, weaving, and the improvement of her herd of Deverill Dairy Goats.

Her love of her fellow human beings was as great as the love for her animals, and her understanding of the countryside was immense. Her love of wild flowers and the deep knowledge she had of the various species was something she was always ready to share with others who were prepared to listen.

It is all too easy for each of us to lend our names to conservation, but Val was one of those few people who are able to analyse and recognise the long reaching threats of intensive farming and over population in rural areas.

More than that, she was not afraid to speak her mind on these topics.

Over the last few years Val had begun to stand back from her many village involvements and devoted herself wholeheartedly to the South West Wilts Smallholders and Countryside Club. This has proved immensely popular and educational for both country and town people alike. This success is a fitting tribute to Val and her organisational skills.

May we long continue to feel her enthusiasm for the countryside and realise in pausing to look back and think a while, we may be taking greater strides to a happier future.