Farewell to Bobby - Littlehampton newsagent for an amazing 45 years

Bobby ran The Cabin newsagent in Beach Road for an amazing 45 years, retiring in 1999.

She passed away on May 14 after suffering a stroke aged 83.

One of the town's true characters, at her funeral service at Worthing Crematorium yesterday (Wednesday) she had chosen Doris Day's Que Sera Sera, a song which summed up her feisty approach to life.

Born in north Bersted in 1923, she was christened Lillian but never liked the name.

When, as a young girl, her father Robert's workmates christened her "little Bobby" because of her tomboy antics, she embraced the nickname and used it from then onwards.

Her last house in the area was in Lansdowne Way, Angmering, where she lived for the past 25 or so years.

With her husband Andy, who died several years ago, she had two children Stuart and Jackie and they in turn gave the couple eight grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Speaking to the Gazette's Brian Shewry upon her retirement in 1999 Bobby said: "I have enjoyed it all so enormously and the time has gone so quickly. I can't believe it's 45 years.

"To me, the day I started still seems like yesterday."

Her daughter Jackie told the Gazette: "Mum was a wonderful woman and I am proud to be her daughter.

"I lived with her for the last four years because she couldn't manage on her own and she was such great company. I will miss her terribly but I know she had a good life.

"She was such a character and a very loving person."

Sarah Manton, Jackie's daughter, agreed: "Nan was amazing. She was the anchor of our family. If anyone needed advice they would go to her. She was old-fasioned but up-to-date at the same time.

"All her grandchildren and great grandchildren absolutely adored her. She was a wonderful woman."