AN only son has paid tribute to his ‘very kind and generous’ mum and ‘best friend’ who he shared a home with for almost half a century.
Jane Leah, 72, was diagnosed with inoperable kidney cancer in January this year and died on Sunday, May 31.
She was a volunteer at community radio station Canalside in Bollington, where she helped out alongside her son, Simon, a technician at The King’s School in Macclesfield, who carries out the station’s technical work and provides PA systems for them at events in his spare time.
The pair lived together on Gawsworth Road in Macclesfield.
Simon, 46, said: “She was a very kind, generous person who tried to see the good in people.
“We were best friends.”
A keen horse rider in her teens and a textile designer by trade, Mrs Leah’s first job was at silk manufacturer Brocklehurst Wistons, then progressing to become head designer at tie manufacturers JW Brookes.
While there, in 1969, she was assigned the prestigious task of designing a tie for NASA.
Simon said: “It has a half moon with an astronaut and 1969 on it, I’ll be very proud to wear it at the funeral on Friday.”
After her son was born, Mrs Leah worked as a shop assistant at a grocer’s, a filling station supervisor for Howard Barker in Broken Cross and Tytherington and a propagator for SE Matthews garden centre in Macclesfield.
Her last job was painting figurines for Bollingate Products.
Simon said: “She was very creative and artistic with her painting, drawing and embroidery.
“She loved helping me tinker with old cars too, she had a good understanding of how they worked.”
Brian Moores, Canalside chairman, said: “Jane was involved with us since our conception in 2003.
“She made an excellent cup of tea for us all from the back of Simon’s van.”
He added that she was very creative and made cuddly toys to raise funds for the station.
He added: “She will be greatly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her.”
Mrs Leah’s funeral will be held on Friday, June 12 at 10am at Macclesfield Crematorium and anyone who knew Jane is welcome to attend.
Simon has requested no flowers at the service but donations may be made, which will be given to Macmillan nurses and East Cheshire Hospice.
