Olive Lavis

DEVOTED wife, sister, aunt and friend Olive Lavis (nee Peck) died on October 18, aged 86, only months after celebrating her diamond wedding anniversary.

Olive was born on June 16, 1933, in Fyfield, the middle of five siblings, and lived with her family on Bath Road. She went to school in Lockeridge before moving on to Marlborough grammar school. Then based in the Parade in the former St Peter’s School building.

It was there she met, at age 12, her husband, Dennis Lavis. However, soon they were banned by the deputy headmaster from seeing each other, after they were spotted holding hands in the playground. “Not that it made any difference,” said Dennis. “We still went on seeing each other.”

Olive and Dennis married on March 28, 1959, at All Saints Church, West Overton, after Dennis had completed five years’ service in the army with the royal electrical and mechanical engineers, serving overseas in both Hong Kong and Korea.

Olive left school at 16 and went to work at Maynard’s newsagents, a shop in the high street now occupied by Kim Vine fashions. After leaving, she briefly worked at Motoraids, before joining Bells Garage, which was based in the row of businesses opposite St Peter’s Church.

She began working on its fuel pumps and, over the following 40 years, became the indispensable backbone of the business. She worked there until 70, only retiring when the garage was sold.

A keen sportswoman in her youth, Olive excelled at hockey and tennis.

She was also a proud member of the Marlborough ladies football club squad that inflicted on Devizes ladies football club its first ever defeat.

She was devoted to her family, especially her nephews and nieces. She was a loyal friend, known for her spontaneous and infectious laugh. “I’ve had so many cards and phone calls, and the one thing everyone mentions is Olive’s laugh,” said Dennis, a retired Wiltshire Council highways department officer.

Olive died at her home in Elcot Close, Marlborough. The funeral will be held at North Wiltshire crematorium on November 6 at 2pm.

Donations to Cancer Research UK and Friends of Savernake Hospital C/O Claridge Funeral Service, Marlborough.