Former Swale mayoress Rose Moreton who helped set up the Swale Youth Development Fund has died at Medway Maritime Hospital. She was 85.

Her son, Swale councillor Mike Whiting who also holds the highways portfolio at Kent County Council, said: "Mum was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago but she never forgot the names of her three children, 10 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren."

He added: "Despite all her difficulties, she never lost the ability to smile and laugh."

She was born Rose Hopper in Croydon on January 24, 1934, and had two brothers, Bob and Melvin and two sisters Pat and Maureen. Her younger brother Melvin runs Sheppey's micropub The Heritage at Halfway.

Rose married Len Whiting in 1954 in Croydon and lived in Thornton Heath near the Crystal Palace FC ground. Sheppey's Oasis Academy The couple had three children Colin, Mike and Christine before moving to Noreen Avenue, Minster, Sheppey, in 1963.

Rose took a job as a clerical assistant in the sales office at the Canning Town bottle works in Rushenden Road, Queenborough, and in 1969 the family moved to Queenborough Road, Halfway. At Christmas, 1970, Len died of a heart attack at 40, leaving Rose to bring up three children aged 13, 11 and nine.

She became secretary of Canning Town Sports and Social Club in Holm Place and joined the Danley School Parent Teacher Association where she met teacher Richard Moreton. The couple later married.

Richard was leader of Swale Council for many years and in 1985 became mayor with Rose as his mayoress. That was when they set up the Swale Youth Development Fund. Rose later described it as her "greatest legacy."

She went on to become clerk to Queenborough Town Council and volunteered for the Association For The Blind.

After Richard died of a heart attack in 1994 she formed a friendship with Malcolm Thompson, her widowed former boss at Canning Town, and moved in with him. They never married but celebrated their 80th birthdays with a joint party at Sheerness Masonic Hall in 2014. Rose died on Thursday night.

Her funeral will be on Thursday, August 15, at noon at Minster Abbey. Mayor's chaplain the Rev Colin Johnson will take the service.

All are welcome. Family flowers only but donations to Swale Youth Development Forum would be welcome.

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