My mother in law passed away peacefully on Tuesday 29th May, aged 91. She appears in the centre of the middle row above circa 1990.

She was a woman who accomplished a great deal in her life whilst also being an exemplary mother, daughter, aunt, sister, grandmother, great grandmother and a wonderful wife.

She came from a strong, close-knit middle class family but the war years and family tragedy marred her teens and early adulthood. She married my father-in-law in 1949, after the deaths of her adored brother, father and grandmother during the preceding 18 months. Their marriage lasted 67 years

Joan devoted her energies to work in the community as a long serving JP at Hampstead Magistrates Court. She had an intense sense of justice and compassion for the unfortunate in society. She resigned from the bench in protest at policy changes in the 1990s which led to the imprisonment of defendants who clearly suffered mental health issues and needed treatment. She was not prepared to incarcerate them.

She started her voluntary work at the Marlborough Day Hospital where, in the early 1960s, the lead Psychiatrist (an Austrian refugee called Dr Lederman) was experimentally treating schizophrenics with LSD. Her interest in Mental Health and aftercare led her to a seat on Mental Health Tribunal panels, often at Broadmoor Hospital.

She. was a tireless worker for Jewish Care (formerly the Jewish Welfare Board and before that the Jewish Board of Guardians) where she was for many years the Vice Chair. She was highly instrumental in streamlining the various Jewish Social Work agencies and in setting up the Sobell Centre in Golders Green

She cared for the elderly and the mentally sick in a voluntary capacity and with great empathy. As a doctor’s wife she was at the end of a telephone taking messages for her husband and calming and counselling those in pain and distress. Many patients became friends and her table was never without guests, yet she always had time for her sons and their partners and her grandchildren.

We were all blessed to enjoy her wisdom, cooking and her many gifts from her travels and also to spend grand family holidays together for many years.

Her latter years were afflicted with a cruel dementia but her husband and wonderful carers ensured that she was comfortable and always beautifully groomed.

We all have many special memories and we will dwell on these as we mourn her passing.