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[10508]
[10508]
in Dec 2022 said she has 2 great grandchildren, (not sure whe they belong to), aged 2 and 6
Eulogy for Josie Lepper by her son David
Josie, or Guiseppina as she was christened, was born in Benevento about 60 miles from Naples on 25th August 1937
She came from humble Italian beginnings with the family farming a modest plot of land.
Her father Antonio Travaglione was captured in World War 2 by the British in North Africa in Benghasi in 1941. He was subsequently taken to the north of Scotland and Scapa Flow as a prisoner of war. Josie and Bill later visited the famous Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm in the Orkneys and found it very moving, where 600 Italian prisoners were detained.
She recalls her mother was left to run the farm with granny and grandad when her father went off to war. Strong feisty independent women were a trait that she definitely inherited. Her recollection of early tasks as a child include gathering acorns to feed to the family pig, turning the sundried tomatoes on outdoor trestle tables and fetching water from the well down the field for watering peppers and tomatoes. They had chickens, sheep that were milked to make pecorino cheese, 2 oxen for ploughing the land and a donkey. A family story was that one day the donkey picked Josie up by her clothes and carried her off without dropping her and was then chased by her Aunty Mary to get her safely back. She recalls German planes dropping bombs on Benevento when they were down by the river doing the washing. She remembered gathering up flowers in small bunches to sell as a posy in the market for a few lira when the family were selling vegetables, the start of her lifelong venture with selling flowers.
Her father Antonio as a prisoner of war was then moved to other locations in England including a camp at Wakefield Estate near Potterspury. The prisoners were subsequently asked to collaborate on helping with farming, and he worked on the Watkins farm first at Great Linford, then moving to Sherrington, both located near Milton Keynes.
Her father was repatriated after the war in July 1946, but the small landholding at home could not support the family. Mr and Mrs Watkins at Sherrington asked if he could come back and work for them as labour was in short supply and he had been a good worker. He returned to England and promised that once he had earned enough money he would send for his wife and children to join him. Josie was just 11, doing well at school, hoping to be a teacher, and very close to granny. On 21st October 1948 with considerable trepidation they caught the train from Rome heading for a new life in England. After 2 days travel across Europe they arrived to be reunited with her father at Dover. On the way to Sherrington via London it was cold and wet and she encountered her first double decker red bus and traffic lights. The start of a new family life in England.
Josie first met Bill Lepper at a village hall dance in Deanshanger. Bill and her had a long lasting special relationship, not always quiet smooth waters, but when they had differences of opinion they always kissed and made up, and their contrasting personalities were complementary, they made a great team together. Mum moved to 40 High Street Paulerspury after marrying Bill and brought up Susan and I. As a loving couple they had over 60 years together. Bill always supported mum in what she wanted to do, from learning to drive, to taking on jobs at Ballinger’s Plant Nursery. She then working for 15 plus years as the Doctors receptionist at Paulerspury Surgery. I recall a few burnt offerings cooked by us when waiting for mum to return from the Doctors for the evening family meal when she got home.
Growing things was in her blood from her first greenhouse and tentative steps gardening in her own right. She grew lots of bedding plants and hanging baskets which she provided for local customers in the spring. She ended up with 4 greenhouses and several cold frames. She specialised in showing fuchsias and large flowered spectacular begonias, entering horticultural shows, winning many prizes and cups. 40 High Street was subsequently named Fuchsia Cottage as a tribute to her endeavours.
She really struggled when Bill died. She was deeply affected and desperately missed him. Despite the brave public face she put on she was still greatly saddened and still very emotional about his death well over 10 years ago. Bill had a calm dignity and deep respect in the family.
Mum made the big bold decision to build a new house more suitable for living through her final years at the Yard along the road. She created a fantastic new house that she project managed from initial Planning stages through construction to final completion, also establishing a beautiful new garden. This was a fantastic achievement, a great challenge that she had originally hoped to do together with Bill but she never managed to persuade him to act on it. Enormous respect and all credit to her, she subsequently managed to do this on her own while well into her 70’s.
She was a stalwart of Paulerspury’s annual summer Horticultural & Produce Show, initially as an exhibitor. Later for many years she was leading light as the key organiser making sure this important village event continued. This was with Bill’s assistance then later with other valued friends like Wendy Harrison who helped out. She also masterminded the biennial Flower Festival held in St James Church. It took a great deal of time and effort to plan, organise and manage.
Friends in the community were very important to Josie, she was a great people person at the centre of village life. Sadly over the last few years many of her compatriots are no longer with us, and she attended way too many funerals for close friends and colleagues now sadly departed.
She interacted well with many younger people and became part of a dynamic duo with Wendy Harrison over the last 10 years. They had lots of fun and adventures together, egging each other on, they were the best of friends. Michael Hubbard helped with tending her garden. She shared meals with good friends Maureen and Fred Bidwell, often enjoying a Chinese takeaway together. She always had friends and neighbours dropping in. She would sometimes answer the phone with “Paulerspury Madhouse, who wants me now”, but that is the way she liked it and lived her life.
She loved all her family, and I visited occasionally. After taking early retirement I have been based in Yorkshire. My partner Angela and I visited a few times a year staying over for 2 or 3 days. I helped out in the garden and we usually visited Milton Keynes Market where she was a special favourite of the fruit and veg market traders and would come back with excellent value bargains. She often made and gave them cakes and scones in return, and they loved her mince pies at Christmas.
She spent the last 10 years producing a varied range of jams and chutneys, providing Christmas Hampers that many local people bought as gifts. A £ pound contribution from each pot went to the Church Flower Festival Fund raising money to buy flowers for this event.
She also baked yummy oat biscuits, Lemon Drizzle and Fruit cakes, flapjacks and made hearty Soup that friends and neighbours enjoyed. She was very generous and community minded. The lovely comments made from 80 plus people on the Paulerspury Community Facebook Group show how valued, loved and highly thought of she was locally. A summary of these comments will be on display in the Village Hall where we will be celebrating her life later today. Pots of her yummy homemade tasty jams and chutneys will also be available there for people to give a donation and take away a memento from Josie.
When the Covid epidemic emerged I would phone her every evening at around 7 for a quick chat. Typically we talked about the weather, gardening, and what we had both been up to during the day. I subsequently continued this right until her sad demise. I so miss hearing her voice every day and talking with her.
At one time many years ago she said “I will never make old bones” but she managed to beat Bill by one year, making it to over 85. A family favourite saying she had was “Anything you can do I can do better” and with her longevity over Bill she proved that was the case.
She was active right until the end, in good health for her age. She was still very sharp but did sometime repeat stories and she could talk for England! She suffered from a sudden unexpected severe stroke and lost consciousness. The family had the opportunity to grieve and say farewell around her bedside in hospital. Her sudden death was a bolt from the blue, a real shock to family and friends. She had a good innings and a very fulfilled life. She would have hated having to depend on others with a longterm illness or disability.
Josie had a full varied memorable life. She was a true one off, loved and appreciated by so many here today, an immense Paulerspury character now sadly departed.
[10504] [S520] Josephine Travaglione