Sheila Hall, a friendly face at Ann’s Wool Shop in Grove, also worked as an Avon Lady and in the treasurer’s department at Vale of White Horse District Council.

She died aged 90 on October 16 following an age-related illness

Dorothy ‘Sheila’ Rabson was born in Shoreham-by-sea, Sussex, on July 31, 1930.

Sheila and Stan Hall were married in 1953 just after the Coronation at Tilehurst Methodist Church, Reading and the wedding service was conducted by Sheila’s brother, the Rev Donald Rabson.

Read again: Heartbreak over closure of Cafe Loco

Mr Hall died in February this year, two months before his 90th birthday and he and Sheila would have celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary on June 13, 2020. Instead, their youngest great grandchild, Hugo Foulks, was born on that day.

Sheila also celebrated her 90th birthday on July 31.

Oxford Mail:

Sheila moved to Grove from Reading in 1961 with her husband and young daughter Lynda as Stan was taking up a post as public health inspector at Wantage Rural District Council. Their second daughter, Nicola, was born in Wantage Hospital in 1962. Before having children Sheila worked in retail, at Suttons Seeds and for British Rail.

Mr Hall was assistant warden at Wantage Youth Club from 1963 to 1973 and Sheila assisted to when she could, running the coffee bar and helping with the drama shows they put on as part of the Youth Club year. Sheila and Stan had been in the Triangle Players in Reading and Sheila also joined the Domino Players in Wantage, appearing in several productions in the early 1970s.

In 1966, Sheila and Stan were one of the host families for the young people of Seesen in the first Youth Exchange visit and in the summer of 1967, they and a small group of other volunteers, took a group of teenagers to Seesen and this continued; Wantage and Seesen alternately hosting the groups each summer.

Read more: Cherwell Boathouse celebrates five-star food hygiene rating

Sheila worked at Ann’s Wool Shop in Grove, she was an ‘Avon Lady’ for years and from 1974 to 1995 she worked for the Vale of the White Horse District council in the Treasurer’s Department - so they worked for the same organisation.

Oxford Mail:

Sheila and Stan

Sheila, along with Stan, was a member of Grove Methodist Church since 1961 and over the years had been Sunday School assistant, playing the piano for the ‘Wayfarers’ group, was the church organist for many years and was involved in all parts of worship and outreach until very recently.

She was part of the committee who tirelessly organised fundraising events over many years to enable the building of the new meeting room, kitchen and toilets so that Grove Methodist Church could better serve the community.

In her 40s and 50s, Mrs Hall enjoyed playing table tennis at the ‘Wednesday Club’ – an over 18s group who met at Icknield School as an offshoot of Wantage Youth Centre.

She was also an excellent cook and enjoyed hosting all sorts of events until she suffered a stroke last year.

Read more: Is the Kassam Stadium still cursed?

Mrs Hall is survived by Lynda Culley (daughter), Nicola Frost (daughter), grandchildren Tessa Hynes, Adam Jefferies, Grace Culley, Hayley Foulks and great-grandchildren Una, Joey, Luna and Hugo.