Sylvia Spooner

Sylvia Spooner (née Blest) passed away peacefully in her 101st year on Sunday, January 31st in Blandford. 
The family thank the exceptional staff at Whitecliffe House Nursing and Residential Care Home for caring for Sylvia over the last two years and, in particular, the care and nursing professionals who kept her company last Sunday morning.  

She was deeply loved by her husband, Arthur, and her two sons and her daughters-in-law, Charles, Edward, Jane Gall and Jane Hadsel. She will be deeply missed by her grandchildren Rosie, Amy, William and Katharine; wider family; and her many good friends especially in the Tarrant Valley and the Blandford area. 
Sylvia worked for Military Intelligence in WWII —she was one of the original ‘Blenheim Girls’, the secretarial and operational staff of internal intelligence (MI5). Part of ‘D’ section, responsible for gathering intelligence on attempts to disrupt transport.

‘My mother’s office was originally a prisoner’s cell in Wormwood Scrubs,’ says son Edward, ‘but during the Blitz was moved to Blenheim Palace. After the war she worked in  Ghana, West Africa.

A private funeral service will be held at Salisbury Crematorium on Wednesday, February 24th. at 11:00 a.m. with a webcast available; please contact Lesley Shand Funeral Service, Blandford (01258 453425) for more details. Flowers can be sent directly or via Florabunda or Sweetpea to Lesley Shand to take to Salisbury. 

A service in St. Mary’s, Tarrant Gunville and a Celebration of her Life will be held when possible.       

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember her”.