Second World War nurse from Burgess Hill dies at 93

Audrey Monica Wheeler served as a nurse in what is now Alton Towers in Stoke-On-Trent from 1943 to 1945.

She is also remembered for her commitment in helping and supporting elderly patients at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Audrey met her husband, Stanley Arthur Wheeler, in 1945 while he was stationed at a prisoner of war camp in the Midlands.

Stanley had joined up with the Westminster regiment at the start of the war before being commissioned into the Cheshire Regiment and served in East Africa attaining the rank of Captain.

After he contracted malaria, Arthur returned to England and he was put in charge of a prisoner of war camp.

Audrey was born in Rainhill, Lancashire, on April 25, 1925.

Her parents were Henry Phillip and Elsie Rippon.

Audrey was the second child of seven.

She went to a school in Rainhill and Prescot and then went to train as a State Registered Nurse at Wiston Hospital from 1941 to 1943.

The couple moved to Kingston-Upon-Thames and Stanley worked in London for the Crown Jewellers.

Audrey and Stanley got married in 1945 and the couple relocated to Burgess Hill in 1956. They had two children, Tim and Simon.

Audrey and Stanley lived in Chanctonbury Road for nearly 20 years.

While Stanley commuted to London for work, Audrey worked at the old Cuckfield Hospital and then at a toy shop.

Audrey and Stanley regularly visited St John’s Church in Lower Church Road, Burgess Hill.

She was an active member of the church.

She volunteered to clean the church and she looked after the churchyard.

The family moved to Telscombe Cliffs when Stanley was about to retire.

It had always been the couple’s dream to live near the sea.

Stanley died from a stroke in 1989 and after her husband’s death, Audrey picked herself up and decided to go travelling.

She visited Australia and one time she took a bus from Perth to Melbourne which is a journey of nearly 1,700 miles.

Audrey also went to South Africa, Kenya and Canada where she went white water rafting. She also made many more friends on her various trips.

She was an active member of the community and enjoyed giving her time to help people.

She helped children to read and write at the Meridian and Telscombe County Primary Schools.

Audrey also volunteered at St Nicholas Church, in Church Street, Brighton.

She met some volunteers and joined them to do the “Soup Run”.

The dedicated and compassionate nurse would work with the team on Saturday nights to make the soup and then pushed it on trolleys to the top of Marine Parade to give to the homeless.

Audrey also spent her time volunteering for the Bristol Ward at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Mark Bayliss, a former consultant physician at the hospital, praised Audrey’s work ethic.

He said even when she had mobility issues, she came all the way from Peacehaven to help the patients.

Mr Bayliss added she had only stopped volunteering for the hospital when she was approaching her 90th birthday because of her health.

He said: “Her dedication and sense of duty was humbling, and she was an exemplar of the very best of her generation, and something that we have perhaps lost in an increasingly individualistic society.

“Audrey, my wife and I remained good friends until her recent death, we miss her very much.”

Although she was older than most of the patients, she changed their beds and helped feed them.

Audrey had a great appetite for life and she was always keen to pick up new skills and knowledge.

She attended computer courses, bought a computer and emailed and sent pictures to relatives and friends all over the world.

Audrey’s mobility got worse and in August 2017, she moved to a care home in Burgess Hill.

Her health continued to deteriorate and she was moved to Oaklodge Nursing home, in Silverdale Road, where she passed away on the September 11.

Audrey will be greatly missed by all, but especially her family and will always be remembered for the kind and helpful way she treated everyone she met.