Tributes paid to long-serving former Melton registrar

Kathleen Palmer, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease and then dementia for the last years of her life, passed away aged 81.

Many will know her from her time as registrar for births, deaths and marriages for Melton district from 1978 until her retirement in 1998.

She was based at an office on Leicester Road when social services and the emergency services were also based up there.

Kathleen before that worked for Melton’s careers services for five years from an office behind the library and another close to the Regal Cinema.

Her widower, Trevor (85), who she was married to for 53 years, said: “The people who came in to see Kathleen when she worked in the careers service often would then come in to see her when she was a registrar, to get married or register a birth.

“She had quite a good memory and always seemed to remember people’s names.

“We would often be walking through the streets in Melton and she would see people she had dealt with as a registrar and she would sometimes stop and chat.”

Kathleen took part in compiling the borough’s census on two occasions through her role.

Trevor said: “She really enjoyed the job although on one occasion she said she felt like giving it up. She was conducting a wedding and turned the book round for the bride to sign and knocked the ink pot over and it went all over the woman’s dress.”

Kathleen was born in Leicester in March 1937 and had one other marriage before marrying Trevor.

She had two children from the first marriage - David Maunder and Kim Pepper, who both live in Melton - and had a daughter with Trevor, called Lindsay. Kathleen doted on her five grandchildren.

The Palmers lived at various times in Syston, East Goscote, Melton and Whissendine.

Kathleen was a very talented scrabble player and won several competitions in the Melton area.

She also enjoyed playing bowls with her husband, outdoors at the Whissendine club and indoors at Grantham.

Trevor added: “Kathleen had such a great memory and a keen mind so it was such a shame when she began to suffer from Parkinson’s.

“I would go in to see her and just hold her hand when she went into a care home.

“She was a very conscientious person and was well liked by everyone.”

A funeral service was held for Kathleen at Grantham Crematorium earlier this month.