Muriel Dodgson

“Nothing on earth will ever replace the sound of your voice or the smile on your face.”

Muriel passed away in the care of Leighton Hospital on the 27th August, knowing she was loved and cared for, aged 90 years.

Born in Darlington on Wednesday 17th July 1929 to parents Matthew and Mabel Whaley. Muriel attended the local school and was just 10 years old when war broke out. Her brother Les was involved in the liberation of Belsen Concentration Camp and when he went over to Dunkirk he pulled a soldier out of the water and realised it was his younger brother Doug!

Muriel knew her future husband Maurice from the school they attended together. Muriel left school at 14 but didn’t know what she wanted to do as a career, but she did various jobs and was always in employment throughout her teens. She eventually met up with Maurice again when she was out with friends. They would go to Darlington baths where there was a huge dance floor and they loved to rock and roll to big band music. They were to marry at Gateshead Registery Office on the 10th June 1955. They settled into married life, living at Muriel’s mum’s house in Wilson Street, Darlington, where they also brought their four children into the world.

They relocated to Crewe in 1963 when Maurice, who worked for the railways was asked if he would transfer to Crewe or Derby, as they were in desperate need of coppersmiths. First impressions for Muriel were not good but eventually the family were to settle into their new home in Singleton Avenue and they became very happy there. Many of their friends had also moved to Crewe so they were surrounded by plenty of familiar faces. Muriel joined the ladies darts team at The Bridge Inn and they played regularly on a Tuesday night.

Muriel never forgot her roots and would take the children to see their nanna in Darlington several times a year. She found work at County Clothes as a hand stitcher, she also cleaned at the local orphanage and became a machinist at Widdowsons, the extra work came in handy as Maurice had to give up work in his thirties due to angina.

Muriel and Maurice loved their holidays with Christine and Graham and generally stayed in a caravan in many different places, Devon and Cornwall to name but a few.

She was so proud of her family, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved having them all round. She was still cooking a sunday roast for them all at the age of 89!

Muriel was an avid Liverpool fan and she loved watching Countdown while she was having her tea.

She was devastated when Maurice passed away in 2016 but insisted nobody would stay with her because she knew she would have to get used to living on her own. She still had the rest of her family around if she needed them.

Muriel’s  funeral will take place on Friday 6th September in the Crematorium Chapel, Crewe at 2.40pm, followed by cremation.

Donations in memory of Muriel will be gratefully received on behalf of the British Heart Foundation.

For any further details please contact our funeral home on 01270 584447.