Marylynn Sandra Ann Darweish (née Coomber) was born on 21 st January 1947, in Shoreham, near Worthing. She was a remarkable woman whose life journey was defined by love, hope and resilience. Her early life was not easy, growing up in a Catholic run children’s home in Southsea, Portsmouth. Her upbringing shaped her into a determinedly independent woman with a desire to care for others, which led her to pursue a career in nursing, a profession she held with great pride.

She trained as a psychiatric nurse at St James Hospital in Portsmouth, where she was able to develop the nurturing spirit and dedication to caring for others which she herself was denied as a child. She transcended her early life experiences to form lasting friendships and found a family of her own on marriage to Abbas Darweish ; she was warmly embraced by the Darweish family for the rest of her life. In 1976, she gave birth to her daughter, Alia and three years later, in 1979, her son, Hardi. Her role as a mother was one she cherished deeply. She unselfishly gave up her professional life to be a full time mother, and dedicated herself to her children despite being denied parental love as a child.

Family life, whilst not always straightforward and harmonious, was never dull. Mary was indeed the matriarch, but a good mum. She had a profound love for cooking and developed a skill for Middle Eastern cuisine but typically British on weekends for the family roast dinner on a Sunday, which she was absolutely amazing at. Dinner was always at 5pm, and she was adamant we would sit as a family every night around the dinner table. Looking back on those times, she taught us that togetherness is all we ever needed to get through any difficulties life throws at us.

Her hobbies included knitting, gardening, solving puzzles, and indulging in her favourite television shows like David Attenborough’s documentaries and “Only Fools and Horses,” with a particular fondness for Del Boy, played by David Jason. She loved to sing, and particularly liked a good singalong in the kitchen to anything by Freddy Mercury and Andrew Lloyd Webber. These simple pleasures showed us her ability to find happiness in the everyday moments.

In her later years, Mary became unwell with kidney failure, which she faced with remarkable bravery despite the obvious toll it took on her time and energy. She remained a source of loving advice, generous support, and cups of tea for her children, embodying strength and kindness for others until her final days. She died peacefully and courageously after a short illness in the Countess Mountbatten Hospice, Hampshire on 12th May 2024.

We miss her.