Lorraine Phillips: Talented teacher at New Milton Junior School
FORMER New Milton Junior School teacher Lorraine Phillips has died aged 76.
A thanksgiving service held at St Luke’s Church in Sway was attended by around 90 friends and colleagues and was followed by afternoon tea – a favourite of hers – in the church hall.
Lorraine was born in 1943 above her family’s grocery shop on the outskirts of Birmingham, run by her parents, Freda and Harry Phillips.
The family, including brother Mike who was 18 months older, later moved to Rednal in Worcestershire. Lorraine went to Bromsgrove Girls’ Grammar School before undertaking her teacher training at college in Leeds.
She initially taught in Gosport for two years before spending the rest of her career at New Milton Junior.
Paying tribute, friend Sheila Hammond said: “Lorraine was a talented teacher, dedicated to her role and was inspirational to others. There was no doubt that she had the best interests of the children in her care at heart.
“She was generous with her time and loved to teach maths, science and geography especially. She appeared in school plays and went on numerous trips with groups of children to help to support them into independence.”
Lorraine, who owned a Corgi called Brandy, had a variety of hobbies including swimming, sailing, gardening, cooking and dancing as well as painting, photography and playing Scrabble and mahjong.
She was also a founder member of Sway Handbell Group and Rowan Recorder Group, both of which played at her funeral. She was also an active member of St Luke’s church in Sway.
Although she never married or had her own children, Lorraine was very fond of her niece Rosie and nephew Alex. She also enjoyed spending time with two of her lifelong school friends, Janet Lawrence and Daphne Clifford, and their families.
In retirement she travelled the world, and along with former teaching colleague Hilvary Robinson undertook adventures to China, Australia and New Zealand, South America, South Africa and Canada.