Hester Cockcroft writes: 

 “Raising funds in memory of our mother, Susan Cockcroft, just felt like the right thing to do.

Our mother was one of life’s explorers; she was genuinely fascinated by people and made friends quickly. She was also highly intelligent and constantly curious – a pioneer, really!

She did an English Literature degree at Bedford College, University of London, in the late 1950s, and a PhD in Pennsylvania, travelling extensively across the United States during the civil rights era. She then worked as an academic, lecturing in American Studies at the University of Nottingham, and later at the Open University and in further education, as well as working as a Chief Examiner.  She was a great mother to her three daughters, me, Jane and Laura, and a loving wife to Robert.

Although she struggled with long-term health issues, she always just got on with things.

When she had oesophageal cancer in 1999, the early diagnosis and surgery in Nottingham saved her life. So, as a family, we feel lucky that we had her with us for another 26 years. 

Our parents moved to Oxford in 2022 to be close to family – bringing all 10,000 of their books with them! They loved living in Headington and joked about being so close to all the hospitals. In the summer of 2024, Susan contracted sepsis - this time it was the JR who saved her life. We were told she might not make it, and she spent five weeks in hospital. It weakened her, but she came through, and we all feel so lucky for the extra time we had with her.

Our mother had a huge respect for the medics who looked after her - she was grateful for their care and really interested in their work. We often joked she was an armchair doctor, and she would have made a brilliant GP – although she’d have spent too long talking to people, as she loved to find out about their lives. A trip to Waitrose in Headington always involved lots of conversations!

She died last summer, aged 86 – quietly and with family around her. It feels as if it was her last gift that she shared with us - she showed us the way, gently working down the gears.

When we were planning the funeral, we organised bright flowers from the family, but we felt as if more flowers would be a waste, so we encouraged people to donate to Oxford Hospitals Charity instead. The hospitals they support also look after our father, and we think our mother would have liked us choosing to support the NHS in this way.

We created a Much Loved page that linked to the charity, so people could both donate and share their memories of her. It was really easy to do.

Our mother was very loved and admired, so we were pleased, rather than surprised, by how much her page raised for the charity, and we all enjoyed reading the comments people added as a tribute and celebration of her life. It was a lovely way to gather all these memories and we cherish them all.

We are pleased that Susan’s final act was one of supporting the hospitals – it means a lot to us all as we remember this vibrant, clever force of nature; a star who shone brightly for all of her 86 years.”

We would like to thank Hester and the family for sharing their memories of their mother. To create an online tribute and fundraising page in memory of a loved one, go to www.hospitalcharity.co.uk/inmemory

Some people find that supporting a charity can help during a time of loss. If this is right for you, we have put together some of the ways you can honour the memory of your loved one, particularly if you would like to say thank you for the care they received in hospital.

www.hospitalcharity.co.uk/remembersomeonespecial

Here you will find a variety of options, including supporting Oxford Hospitals Charity within the funeral collection, as part of a tribute page or by donating in memory.

If we can help in any way, please contact us at [email protected] or call our local team on 0300 373 1188.