Sandra Ann Bottrell

I think this is the hardest thing I have ever tried to do. There is so much to try and say I dont know where to begin.
If anybody would like to add anything then please feel free, even if its just a few words.

I am Sandras middle daughter, Donna.
There are many words to describe mum but one that stands out from the rest is special She was kind, beautiful, loving, devoted, hard working, strong, brave - I could go on and on............. but I will always come back to special

What a lady, to battle cancer for almost 20 years, she never complained. Always positive, always had a smile on her face. You have to be special to be able to do that.

Mum had many talents, dressmaking and alterations was a big part of her life. She could make anything from cushion covers to wedding dresses and sofa covers! Although I hated it when I was younger, she didnt like to buy us clothes because she insisted that she could make it for 50p!!!

Artistic, she could draw draw amazing pictures - a natural talent. She also made hand puppets and pop up toys.
Mums artistic skills lead to card making recently. A hobby that she took up at home once she became too poorly to continue working. She put them in the shop to sell and that they did, our customers loved them, didnt believe that Mum had made them, they were that good.

Which now leads me to the thing she loved best (apart from her family)- Stedmans greengrocers. A joint partnership with her husband Peter.
I think it was the love of working here that kept her going for so long. Shopping and shelf stacking, cleaning and tidying, and from time to time a change around just to make you go looking for stuff!
Customers call it Aladdins cave amazed at all the things there were to buy. It wasnt very often that Mum and Dad didnt have something that a customer needed. And now they miss her too, as we all do, her warm smile and her caring chats.

Saturday night fever, oh she did like to boogie but dont worry, I think me, Laura and Sheryl have inherited her dance moves so if you ever need to be reminded of Mum on the dance floor then just look out for us three!
Fulwell club and the M.W.b club were her local hang outs...........sadly fulwell got knocked down but I for one will never forget partying the night away and of course not forgetting that Sunday when she left me behind!

Treasured memories, thats all we have now. Taken too soon but now she is free from pain, thats what we need to remember and at the same time deal with our own pain and the pain of those around us.
So please use this as a way of expressing feelings, sharing memories and light a candle. Lets make it special, just like mum...........