Alma Wilkinson nee Dickenson, formerly Glover

“No need for words, except to say loved and remembered every day.”   

Alma passed away peacefully at Corbrook Park Nursing Home, Audlem on 26th September 2021 aged 87 years.

A devoted Mother & Nanna, Alma will be so sadly missed & remembered with affection by all who knew her.

Her funeral took place on Thursday 7th October 2021 at Crewe Crematorium Chapel at 1pm.

Kind donations in Alma’s memory are going to St Luke’s Hospice.

For further information and to offer your condolences, please telephone our Funeral Home on 01270 584447

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Alma was born on 17th February 1934, the third of 4 children, and grew up alongside
her two older brothers and younger sister. She attended Broad Street Infant and
junior schools, and was among the first year of children to take the 11+ after it had
been made available to all. Alma passed the examination and gained a place at
Crewe Grammar School, and left at the age of 16 after getting 8 passes to earn the
‘School Certificate Examination’, the last year to do so before ‘O Levels’ were
introduced. As a youngster, Alma was a keen member of the Guide Movement and
Church Young Club, taking part in many activities, and she always loved dancing, and
attending social events with all the family.

When Alma entered the world of work, her intelligence, ability, and kindness made
her loved and respected by all those lucky enough to work with her. She began as a
shorthand typist in the typing pool at Rolls Royce, and worked her way up into the
accounts department, and also worked for chartered accountants Arthur Morrey
before the birth of her first child. As her children grew, Alma’s working life very
much continued, including a part time role as a Home Help, and as an assistant at her
brother in law’s hairdressing business. In 1974 She rejoined Rolls Royce – working in
project engineering – before transferring to the Training Department to become
Secretary to the Training Manager.
Even years later the impact Alma had on her colleagues remains, evident in this
beautiful message from William Hardwick, an ex colleague of Alma’s at Rolls Royce,
who now lives in Canada.

Alma was always a very special person to me even though I only worked at RRM
Crewe for 2 years. 

She was the glue in the Future Engine Project office and always a great friend to
me – keeping me on the straight and narrow, especially when it came to policies and
procedures.
It was Alma who was front and centre in my mind as, later in my career, I completed
several company reorganizations and change management initiatives. It was
KNOWING and enforcing the IMPORTANCE of the consistent knowledge base, that
Alma extolled – she was the keeper of policies, procedures and systems. Engineers
are passing thru and business would be in chaos in short order without the likes of
your mom. Hidden gems far too often underrated by the blinkered. 

God speed Alma. You were a good friend who had a positive impact on me – one
which influenced my thoughts and actions many times throughout my career. 

Much love 
Willi. 

Alma married Raymond in February 1955, practical as always, they chose the day to
beat the April Tax year deadline! and were blessed with three wonderful children,
David, Lynda and Andrew. Whilst the children were growing up the family took many
fantastic holidays in their dormobile (a converted ambulance) staying in static
caravans, and even hotels in Jersey and the Isle of Man, a rare luxury! A trip over to
the continent in the famous dormobile to France, Belgium and Holland, was the
first time any of them have been out of the British Isles, and proved to be an
excellent experience for the children, with the unusual vehicle gaining a lot of
attention!

Alma’s early interest in guiding was rekindled when she became an Assistant Guider
at Guide headquarters, and then a Captain – starting a new unit at St Barnabas
Church. A committed Guider, and always willing to go the extra mile, she was also
District Secretary to the District Commissioner, and supporting Andrew’s Scout
Group as a committee member, as well as. Most of all, she took great joy in
encouraging all the children in their chosen pastimes.

Four years after the sad loss of Raymond, Alma came across Brian at a mutual friends
house, and after hearing of his interest in bikes, promptly asked him to repair
hers…. The rest, as they say, is history. When the two married in 1992 Alma was
delighted to gain two stepchildren, Alan and Carol, and she and Brian soon got to
work planning their new chapter together , both taking redundancy from Rolls Royce
just a month after their wedding ceremony!

Already members of the Market Drayton group of the Ramblers Association, Alma
and Brian added swimming to their list of hobbies, and loved nothing more than
taking drives around the countryside and finding nice venues for lunch!
Free time for Alma also counted reading – which she loved – doing crosswords, and
attending quizzes. She took up cross stitch embroidery, and even when her eyesight
began to deteriorate she was not willing to vegetate, simply switching the
embroidery needle for two knitting ones, and managing to produce some small
cardigans, scarves and hats. In her words the only problem was if she dropped a
stitch someone else needed to put it right!

Alma was very involved in her local community, from the rural group, where she
was entertained by many good speakers, to volunteering. Her volunteer roles
included the tea bar in Newcastle under Lyme law courts, and then in the Pharmacy
at Leighton hospital, where she clocked up over 22 years service.

As the years went on, Alma and Brian started taking coach tours around Britain with
friends, starting with Warner hotels with Barry and Diane, and gradually becoming
more adventurous travelling all over the world – The Mediterranean, Caribbean,
both North and South America, and the Maldives. Train journeys across Canada
(from Vancouver, via the Rockies, to Toronto) and on the Glacier Express in
Switzerland were particularly wonderful experiences.
Due to health problems, further flying around the world was ruled out, and so it was
back to coach tours, or having a week with Lynda and Mark in some interesting
accommodation. Initially in caravans, then cottages, they have also stayed in a
converted barn, an apartment in Milford Haven, and a converted Granary – all most
enjoyable.

Of course the grandchildren played a very big part in Alma’s life – Rachel, Sarah, Nina
and Hayden. It was a great joy for her to see them growing up and their individual
personalities developing, which made her very proud of their achievements.

A new chapter began again when Brian passed away with Alma starting a single life
again. During their 26 years together, both Alma and Brian gained a lot of friends
from various backgrounds, enabling them to live a very full life packed with lots of
wonderful memories.

Alma – you have walked among us mind, body, heart, and spirit. You have brought
strength … you have brought laughter… you have brought light … we value
everything you have been, and everything you have sought to be.

May you rest in Peace