Valerie Hoare, 79, was killed when the Suzuki Vitara she was driving was in a collision with a Renault van in Chailey early last Tuesday morning.

In March last year, Valerie's 81- year-old husband Michael Hoare died from his injuries after being hit by a car while he was walking in Keymer Road, Hassocks.

Physiotherapist Mrs Hoare will be much missed in Ditchling where she had lived for 55 years and had many friends. She and her husband fought hard to keep the village green and she was a hard-working supporter of many village organisations and charities including the Royal British Legion and the NSPCC.

She is understood to have been driving a friend to join a group outing when the tragedy happened at the junction of Beggars Wood Road and North Common Road just after 6.20am.

The passenger, another elderly woman, and the driver of the van, were both treated for minor injuries. The road was closed for four hours as emergency services dealt with the incident.

Born on November 2, 1928, Valerie was the fourth daughter of Trevor and Olive James. She was brought up at Bryanston School, Dorset, where her father was assistant headmaster.

Her parents were known as 'the Jimmys' by all the teachers and boys and as she grew up she spent many happy days swimming and riding in the school grounds and surrounding countryside.

She trained in London as a physiotherapist – a skill she practised all of her life. It was in London that she met a handsome captain in the Coldstream Guards, Michael Douro Hoare, who proposed and then promptly went back to India to look after his family tea plantation.

She sailed out to be with him and their first son was born in India. They returned to England in 1951 and settled in Ditchling. They bought Downsland Court in 1955 by which time they had three sons – Timothy, Nicholas and Jonathan.

Valerie loved her house and the village and had soon added two daughters – Melanie and Vanessa – two dogs, a horse and a cat to the family.

Her son Jonathan said: "She regarded the whole village as her family
and was soon involved in a number of village initiatives and activities, especially cricket. It was largely thanks to her and her husband's efforts that the village green was not sold for development.

"She was a major fundraiser for the Royal British Legion and many other charities.
"She loved riding and tennis, and it has to be said, was the life and soul of parties for miles around, but was never happier than when helping or healing."

Valerie's funeral will be held at St Margaret's Church in Ditchling on May 22 at noon.

For the full story see this week's Mid Sussex Times.