Rosina Felstein

I think it’s fair to describe Gill as my first love, in the way that children form intense connections. We were so blessed to have a friendship that starts from my earliest memory. Gill was three weeks older than me but seemed so much more sophisticated with her fierce intelligence, her social ease and her iron sense of discipline. Even her freckles outdid me – she had far more than me! We once used bleach to try to get rid of them. Aunty Elaine was not impressed. 
 

We grew up 5 doors apart and were inseparable after school and at weekends. 15 Delamere Road was home from home and we spent hours playing imaginary games in the garden, listening to Soft Cell whilst sitting on Jonny’s window ledge, looking after baby Stephen, eating our way through endless cakes loving baked by Aunty Elaine and living by Uncle Malcolm’s mantra of “Expect the worst, hope for the best”. Our teens were full of double dates - some more successful than others - silly prank phone calls, hours wandering around Gatley and Cheadle, thousands of shared cups of tea, one memorable Rocky Horror party where fishnet stocking and corsets abounded, and several bad haircuts. At night, one of us would watch the other run the five houses in the dark because we always made sure the other was safe. We only ever had one disagreement in 50 years and that was aged 12 over Fraser Marks. He has a lot to answer for. 

I remember going to university and feeling lost without Gill by my side. She was my home, my roots, my security. She was so special because Gill simply didn’t have a bad bone in her body. She was 100% genuine, transparent, warm and supportive but make no mistake, she could also be feisty. She also belied her petite stature with the enormous strength and resilience she demonstrated in more recent years. Her quiet dignity took my breath away. She never, ever complained. She was incredible - always positive; always seeing the best in everyone. 

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