Mansfield Soroptimists say farewell to 'valued, respected, long serving member' with special memorial

Along with president Julie Howe-Shilton members of the Soroptimist International Mansfield and District Club joined family and friends to remember Hazel Thompson, who died in March.

Taking part were Hazel’s daughter Zoe Thompson-Casey, husband James, and grandsons Alexander, 17, Julian ,14 and Sebastian 11,

They planted a flowering cherry tree and buried a time capsule on July 15 – which would have been her birthday.

Married to Fred Thompson, who died in 2005, Hazel had lived in the Ravenshead and Mansfield areas, before moving to Leicester in 2006.

"Her heart was always in the Mansfield area, she maintained strong links there,” said Zoe.The full story of Mansfield Woodhouse's world famous pianist and musical genius John Ogdo

Hazel served as the Soroptimists’ president, twice from 1971 to 1972 and 1993 to 1994, supporting numerous fundraising projects.

Her father was Walter Fenton, a journalist, working for the forerunner to the Chad. Her mum, May, was a photographer. A printing business started in the family home, would later move to Leeming Street and Woodhouse Road. After marrying Fred, the couple continued running Fenton Printers Ltd.

Kam Britland, the club’s media officer, said: “Hazel was a much-valued, respected and long-serving member, twice president of our club.

"She was not one for pushing herself forward, she was kind and supportive, she attracted many close friends supporting our endeavours.”

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Zoe Thompson-Casey added “Mum would have loved the memorial. She always loved cherry trees, we wanted to plant a hazel, but it was the wrong time of year, so decided on a cherry, they look magnificent in the Spring and Mum’s favourite colour was pink!

"The pictures, represented happy memories of her life, my dad, her wedding day, the family, holidays and pets. One is of a bus when my parents ran their family business Fenton’s, every summer they took employees to the seaside for a chippy supper!

“She was so proud of her grandsons,’ so we placed pictures of them and also, a little donkey ornament which was on her dressing table, represented happy memories of Scarborough, we went every year, even though foreign holidays were suggested, because I wanted to ride the donkeys!

The Soroptimists seek new members see : https://sigbi.org/mansfield/ or Facebook.

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