Bench Unveiled in Memory of Josephine Pearson

The Pearson family met to hand over £1000 to Macmillan Cancer Support on the Beverley Westwood this morning.

It was also a poignant occasion as the Memorial Bench that Keith Pearson and his son Pip had bought was to be unveiled to the rest of the family.

The bench is a memorial to Mrs Josephine Pearson, who sadly passed away in August after losing her battle with cancer aged 68. They were happy to be joined by Keith’s daughter Sally and her two daughters who had travelled up from their home in London for the occasion.

Many will remember Jo as the ex Landlady of the Royal Standard, where her and her husband Keith pulled pints and entertained the regulars in the 1990’s. They both really enjoyed their years at the Standard and made many friends there.

Others may remember Jo as Josie Bird, whose dad Joe, (affectionately known as Joe ‘Bod’) delivered milk in Beverley many years ago. Both Josie and her sister Gill would accompany him and do their bit for the family business.

A cheque for £1,000 was also presented to the Macmillan Nurses after a collection was taken at Jo’s funeral.

Keith and Pip thanked all who had donated to this worthwhile cause and also said a special thank you to all the nurses that had helped them care for Jo.

“The help and support we received was fantastic, from the nurses to the G.P’s, everyone showed us nothing but kindness and respect. It was our wish for Jo to remain at home, and with the help of all these people, family and friends, we were able to do this.”

Keith also went on to say how he had gained comfort from the lovely cards and wishes that were extended to both him and Pip in the weeks and months after Jo’s passing.

The Memorial Bench is now a permanent feature on the Westwood where Jo and Keith enjoyed many a walk with their loving dog Alfie, and will be a welcome resting place for all, with spectacular views of the Racecourse.

It was hard to find the words that would best suit the bench, but in the end ‘A million golden memories’, seemed best, as anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Jo would agree, that is what she left with us all!”