In Memoriam: Sarah Hamilton Garrett (née Smith)12 February 1947 – 6 June 2024
Published on 24/09/24
Sarah (and her twin sister Julia) attended the Perse Girls School, followed by completing the Senior Secretarial Course at Cambridge Technical College.
She initially worked for the Cambridge University Department of Maths and Mathematical Statistics before spending her first year of married life with Colin in Nancy, France, working in a language laboratory helping trainee teachers pronounce their English words correctly. On their return, she worked for Cooper, McDougal & Robertson in Berkhamsted and was secretary to the Chief Vet.
In 1971 she became a full-time mother to Marion and then Jill (in 1974) and chief homemaker, later running the school second-hand uniform shop (being well-trained in such matters by her father, whose business was Arthur Shepherd in Trinity Street).
Sarah was a superb pianist, playing everything from music at ballet classes for tots to serious dancers, to accompanying her daughters, to playing in a Scottish dance band, to performing in the Royal Albert Hall. She was also an accomplished needlewoman from an early age, regularly making clothes, repairing soft toys. For several years she was a volunteer seamstress at St Albans Abbey doing ecclesiastical needlework. For some years Sarah was the local textile expert for NADFAS (The Arts Society) and recorded the complete contents of local churches in a very professional manner, sorting through dusty cupboards to list accurately what the church owned.
Sarah inherited a love of card games from her parents which she passed on to her children and grandchildren, with riotous games of racing demon being a firm favourite. Sarah also taught her girls how to make cakes, biscuits and sweets. (They married men who can make main meals!)
For 50 years she lovingly tended her garden, such that it not only looked beautiful but provided fruit and veg to feed the family. Her daughters welcomed her visits to knock their gardens into shape!
In 2019 Sarah was diagnosed with the very rare condition cerebral amyloid angiopathy for which there is no cure or treatment. Over time her memory for words declined but her ability to sew, garden and play the piano thankfully did not. She was released from the decline she hated by a catastrophic bleed on the brain.
Family and friends will remember Sarah for her genuine and uncomplicated warmth, kindness, zest for life, her smile, making biscuits, her excellent chicken impressions and her ability to still feel cold despite numerous layers of clothing!