Pakenham Village Tributes : Sally Burrows

We mourn the death of Sal. Everyone called her Sal or Sally. Her Christian name was actually Cynthia but she was Sal to us all. Sal and Jim with son Jonathan and daughter Sarah arrived in Pakenham early in 1970 to live at number 7 Manor Garth, and with Jim now working at RAF Honington, Sal soon found her way into Pakenham village life, immediately becoming a member of St Mary's church congregation and thereafter a regular attendee for the next 40 years or so.

Sal was able through the church to pursue her passion for bell ringing, a passion that she never lost Perhaps the high point of her ringing career was, with Joan Tipple, to organise and supervise the addition of a sixth bell in St Mary's bell tower with the inscription on the bell "Make me a channel of your peace". The addition of a sixth bell in St Mary's bell tower improved the round immensely and helped to attract visiting ringers from from in and around the county. Sal and Jim's devotion to St Mary's not only included bells but a monthly more mundane spell of church cleaning which they undertook for many years.

Sal was also a maths teacher and when the new Upper School at Thurston opened Sal applied for a temporary contract teaching maths. She would teach part time and supply for the next twenty years! Also
Sal in the early days of the family's arrival taught Sunday school at the old vicarage under the Reverend Newell.

Sal was also a governor of Pakenham Primary a School whom with others fought a long and hard battle to preserve the school in the village from closure. Sal amongst others took their appeal all the way to the Home Secretary Mr. Baker but in glorious defeat the school was lost.

Sal was also a very keen member of Pakenham WI for about 20 years very involved in all that wonderful organisation does.

Whenever there was in the village a flower festival, whist drive, village fete, flower and produce show, Sal
would be there organising or manning a stall. Sal and Jim were a kind and formidable team right to the end and like many of us their joy was in their children and grandchildren and wherever they are Sal will always be with them.

Our condolences are with Jim, Jonathan, Sarah and their families. Rest in peace Sal, you were wonderful. He made you a channel of His peace.

PV&CN - March 2016