A FARNHAM woman who lived much of her life in Africa before her death aged 84 in March, has been laid to rest alongside her parents in the St Thomas-on-The Bourne garden of remembrance.

Joan Olive Coveney Clarke (nee White), from Upper Way, first travelled to Zomba, Nyasaland (modern day Malawi) in July 1958 as a stenographer working for the Nyasaland Government, and over the proceeding six decades embarked on a remarkable tour of the African continent.

Having met South African architect Arnold Clarke during her time in Nyasaland, the couple returned to the UK and married at St Thomas-on-The Bourne Church on August 5, 1961.

But the couple would soon return to Africa aboard the SS Southern Cross from Southampton and their first son, Iain, was born in Zomba in 1964 followed by their second, Andrew, at the Scottish Mission hospital in the Kalahari Desert in 1967 - both of whom were baptised at St Thomas-on-The Bourne during periodic visits to England.

The family’s travels then took in six years in the newly independent Republic of Botswana, where Joan worked as a legal secretary, and nine years in Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe) at the height of the country’s bitter Bush War.

Despite the conflict and suffering gripping the landlocked African nation, the family made the best of their time in Rhodesia and Joan discovered a love of performing and took to the stage for many an amateur pantomime.

She also enjoyed horse riding and yoga, and was active in the Women’s League of Health and Beauty which included being a member of the team that represented Rhodesia at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1975.

Arnold, commenting on this period of his wife’s life in his memoir, said: “On reflection, 1976 might be considered as Joan’s year. The responsibilities of being a wife and a mother did not diminish in any way the remarkable energy and enthusiasm that she devoted to her life and to those around her at that time.

“If anything, the uncertain times seemed to encourage her to make the very best of the situation; to contribute more than an equal measure of what she received in enjoyment and pleasure from being in Rhodesia.”

In 1981, the family returned to Botswana where Joan was again active in amateur dramatics and found employment as a legal secretary. However, five years later they moved once again to Arnold’s native South Africa where they would finally settle - spending 10 years in Port Elizabeth before retiring to nearby Jeffreys Bay in 1996.

In her retirement Joan remained active in various social clubs, volunteered for charity and even took up line dancing.

She passed away at Jeffreys Bay on March 17, 2017 at the age of 84 after a short fight against cancer.

Following her death, the wish of her surviving husband was that her remains be returned to the soil of her birth to join her parents, Mr and Mrs GJ White, in St Thomas’ garden of remembrance.

And so it was that her ashes were brought back to England by her son Andrew, who had hastened from his home in Burnham-on-Sea to his dying mother’s bedside.

A thanksgiving and interment service was subsequently held at St Thomas-on-The Bourne Church on Friday, May 5 - exactly three months short of Joan and Arnold’s 56th wedding anniversary - with Reverend Liz Lane officiating.

The intention to hold the memorial in Farnham instead of in South Africa was to allow England-based relatives and friends the opportunity to say their farewells on home soil.

The moving and emotional service was attended by 17 people: two sons (one from South Africa), family members and friends from England, an England-based nephew from South Africa and other friends from Africa (Nyasaland, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, Botswana - now England-based).

Joan’s husband, Arnold told The Herald: “Considering the ages and physical condition of some friends and family, and the distances to be covered from different parts of southern England, this was a remarkable tribute to an ordinary, unpretentious and unsophisticated homespun girl who once upon a time innocently ventured to Africa on her own.”