Whitchurch Obituaries

 

Richard Wingfield 1943-2026

Richard Wingfield died on 26th January 2026 at the age of 83. He lived in Hardwick Road with his wife Diana for 52 years from 1974. Richard graduated from Cambridge University in 1964, qualifying as a civil engineer. He was employed by the consulting firm Gibb for over 30 years, working on water resources projects. After working on a dam project in southern Argentina for four years, Richard and Diana returned to the UK in 1973 and moved into their newly acquired house in Hardwick Road, Whitchurch. Their son James and daughter Caroline attended the village school and Richard became involved in the Whitchurch Society.

Then in 1981 the family were posted to the Far East. This turned out to involve a series of projects over six years, with two years in Bogor, Indonesia, followed by four years in Bangkok, Thailand. Richard described this experience as “fascinating”.

Returning to the village in 1987, the children’s education was the priority and subsequent Gibb work overseas involved short visits. Richard also worked on consultancy projects for the Thames Region of the Environment Agency, and for National Power at Didcot. The family kept a boat at Sheepwash Lane on the Thames for many years.

Following retirement in 2001, Richard and Diana continued to play golf at Huntercombe, walked weekly with a group of friends and enjoyed many overseas and UK holidays, often in groups. Richard continued to play Real Tennis on the Oratory School and Hardwick courts until a shoulder injury intervened. He also studied for a Humanities BA degree with the Open University, awarded in 2012.

For the past fifteen years Richard was the news editor of Whitchurch Web, the village website, recruiting a team of residents who successfully run it today. He was well respected around the village as an intelligent and impartial editor. The team will certainly miss his wit and kind encouragement. Richard always enjoyed his involvement with the village. In the last few years he particularly looked forward to joining friends on Saturday mornings at the Art Cafe, an institution he thoroughly approved of. His last visit was just over a week before he died.

Having enjoyed good health for over 80 years, Richard had a surprise diagnosis of leukaemia in October 2024. He was treated with chemotherapy for a year, enabling life to continue fairly normally, but without golf, long walks or distant holidays. Throughout this time Richard demonstrated his characteristic fortitude and good humour.

 

Nick Brazil 1946 - 2026

Nick was born in Looe, Cornwall on the 21st January, 1946 and died on his 80th birthday. He was the son of a businessman who founded the Brazil sausage company, later acquired by Bowyers. Educated in Somerset and Switzerland, he became a journalist and photographer. During a diverse career, he also worked in construction in the Middle East and later for British Telecom. He moved to Whitchurch with his family in the 1970s, living firstly in The Gatehouse and latterly next door at The Mount. He had a son, Peter and a daughter, Mandy and was later divorced from his wife, Diana.

Nick was a natural raconteur, through the media of film and print, but he was also a regular public speaker, mostly on the topic of travel. He published a number of books, covering a broad historical spectrum. Shortly before his death, Nick was shown the finalised cover of his most recent publication, “Articles of War”, which is based on reports previously written for the British Modern Military History Society website. Nick kindly offered to donate his royalties to the charity, Veterans with Dogs. The adjoining photo, from the book’s cover, was taken in the Greyhound by Jerry Cockeram.

As a film maker Nick took many videos of the village and its inhabitants, including a Christmas message from all the different native language speakers to be found in Whitchurch. This video is in the photo gallery, along with many other examples of Nick’s work, as he was the website’s “photographer-at-large”. Another of Nick’s films, “Wallingford - the Story of an Ancient Town” is being shown shortly at the Corn Exchange, Wallingford.

In 2018, Nick created a new award for the Art & Craft Exhibition. Called The Brazil Award, it encourages film and animation entries, to complement the traditional media of art, craft and photography. He was very keen to encourage the community, especially younger residents, to make short films. The award is quite unique – it is actually a real clapperboard!

Nick was well-known in the village and he drew a deep comfort from his community engagement. He held strong opinions, often reflected in his passion for local matters. In recent years he joined the Parish Council, where his views as a village elder were highly valued. His compassion for others was also evident in 1991, when, during turbulent political times, he delivered food and medical supplies in Albania for a small charity, driving a canary yellow Land Rover.

Nick will leave a lasting legacy through his many projects. Perhaps the most significant of these is the Whitchurch Maze. Back in 2003 Nick had an epiphany: to transform an unloved area of the village by creating a maze. Working with Pete Woolhouse, he developed a design and through the Whitchurch Society, the community were invited to buy personalised, engraved bricks. The Maze opened on a glorious day in June 2004 and has become a favourite quiet space for many in the community and also passing visitors. Nick was justifiably proud of this achievement for the village he loved.

 

Roy Rosekilly 1935 - 2025

Roy Rosekilly died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital on 23rd November, aged 90 years. He was the dearly loved husband of Sylvia who died this time last year and whose obituary is below.
Roy and Sylvia, whose home was in Swanston Field, were active with the Pangbourne & District Bowls Club and Roy participated in line dancing.

 

Jane Yamamoto 1967 - 2025

 

Jane Yamamoto passed away on the 5th August, 2025, at the age of 58. Jane was well-known and loved in the Whitchurch community for her public-spirited, kind and helpful nature.
Born on 5th April, 1967 in Toronto, Jane was of Japanese descent. As an adult she lived in France, Germany, Sweden, speaking all those languages, but her last twenty-five years were spent in England. She was proud of having worked all her life – she said from the age of 9 – apart from five years while she raised her boys. She had several careers: investment banker, professional chef; in Sweden she worked for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme. She moved to Whitchurch in 2002 with her then husband, Mads Kunov. Here in Whitchurch she was administrator for Oxford Renewables Ltd for twelve years, based on the Hardwick Estate, and latterly she was office manager for T A Fisher, a building company in Theale. But cooking was always her great love.
Jane is well-remembered in the community for her role as Parish Clerk. “She was very hard-working and conscientious as our Clerk for 5 years, taking special care and discretion with issues raised to her by members of the public,” says Chair, Jim Donahue.
Jane is survived by her two sons, Matthew and Michael, and her husband, James Norman, who had the following words to say: “I have been Jane’s partner since 2010, and we had planned to marry this September, but she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April. We were married at her home five days before she died. She loved tennis, and played about 8 sessions a week. She loved animals, especially her beloved dog Mabel, children, and people, and was the most loving person I have ever known, as well as the most loveable. She loved all my children and wider family as if they were her own.”

 

Jackie Kingsley 1936 - 2025

Jackie Kingsley died peacefully at home on 27th April, 2025, at the age of 89. Born in St Albans, she read law at Girton College, Cambridge, moving to Whitchurch in 1969 to teach Latin at the Oratory Prep. Alongside teaching and raising 4 young children, she became a tennis coach and won mixed doubles at Pangbourne Tennis Club. From 1979-1996 she was headteacher at Abbots Hill School, Hertfordshire. During retirement, Jackie joined the trustees of Whitchurch United Charities, later serving as Chair for 6 years. She was a valued member of the church community. Sadly, following operations in 2008, she began suffering chronic pain, Latterly, Jackie attended a weekly book club, whose members enjoyed her sharp insights, prodigious memory and sense of humour.

Dalby Edward Landen 1932 - 2025

The funeral of Dalby Landen, who died on 5th April 2025 at the age of 92, was held at St John’s Church, Whitchurch Hill, on Thursday 1st May. Dalby and his wife Lesley arrived in Whitchurch almost 60 years ago. There are three children, two girls and a boy, and several grandchildren. The family enjoyed a holiday home on the south coast of Wales. He had a twin brother, the actor Dinsdale Landen, who died in 2003. Dalby was a solicitor by profession, becoming Senior Partner at Blandy & Blandy in Reading (hence his taste for Madeira, made by that family). He was also a County Court judge. He was a pillar of the village church and will be much missed.

Sylvia Rosekilly 1934 - 2024

We sadly report that Sylvia Rosekilly died peacefully on 25th November, at home in Whitchurch, aged 90 years. 
Sylvia was lovingly cared for at home by a dedicated team of helpers.  Although suffering a prolonged illness, Sylvia was brave and accepting.  Sylvia loved her garden and flowers.  Sylvia had many friends, particularly at Reading Gardeners and with husband Roy was an enthusiastic bowls player in Pangbourne. 

Dianne Brooks 1968 - 2024

It is with great sadness that we have to say goodbye to Dianne Brooks who passed away peacefully on Tuesday 12th November at the age of 66, after a long battle with cancer. She was a wonderful person who showed much compassion and love for everyone she came in contact with and left them with a true sense of their importance in the grand scheme of things.
She arrived in Whitchurch in 2001. She and Keith lived in Hardwick Road.
For many years she taught at the Chiltern Edge School, Sonning Common, where she helped children to grasp the rudiments of mathematics. She then went on to work with the Central Berkshire Education Business Partnership in Reading, assisting children who were finding it difficult to fit in at school. Following this she became the Parish Clerk for Benson Parish Council and more recently was volunteering at Whitchurch Primary School, helping the children there.

 

Peter Smith 1944 - 2024

We have to report the sad news that Peter Smith, who lived in Eastfield Lane with his wife Diana, has died on 15th April 2024 at the age of 80, after a period of illness. He was born and educated in Oxford, reading History at the University. He then taught at Rugby School before being appointed Headmaster of Bradfield College in 1985. He retired to Whitchurch in 2003. He was involved in village life as Chair of the Whitchurch Society for 14 years and was a familiar figure at the annual Art and Craft Exhibition, presenting awards to winners. He was also a governor of the Primary School for a number of years.

 

Doreen Godley 1936 - 2024

The sad death of Doreen Godley on 2nd January occurred when her car collided with a fallen tree at 5.30 pm near Crays Pond, in the aftermath of Storm Henk. She was 87 and well known to many in Whitchurch and Whitchurch Hill. She and her husband Brian, who died in 2010, lived for many years in Rivacres, Whitchurch Hill, before moving to Goring.