Jeanne Lester

Jeanne Lester started life as Ada Reuben.

She was born in Whitechapel on 10 February 1931 – the third child of four – to Joseph and Bella.

Ada was not well at birth, her family were not sure if she would survive – so they gave her the Hebrew name of Chaya for life.

She showed her character even then and thrived.

The Second World War interrupted her childhood and she was evacuated with her younger brother Harry. They went around the country to places including Holyport near Maidenhead and Paignton in Devon.

She loved telling us about the adventures she had with Harry, the mischief they got up to and how much the people looking after them cared for them.

Harry has often said “she used to look after me”.

She opened her own salon and was the first woman to do so in London

When the war finished she decided to be a hairdresser and trained under the respected Adolph Cohen.

It was around this time she changed her name to Jeanne – she loved the French spelling.

She opened her own salon and was the first woman to do so in London. Hers was also the first Salon to have installed back facing sinks, used for washing hair.

Ever a pioneer, she was always an amazing business woman.

She loved dancing and would go to the Jewish dances.  And there she met a man who took an age to ask her out.

She didn’t give up and waited for her” Marky” (our Father).

Eventually she made him miss her by not showing up one night – he then realised he wanted to be with her.

For their honeymoon they flew with their car to France and travelled across the twisting roads of the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain. Jeanne had only just passed her driving test, having been taught to drive by my father.

She adored Mark and set up home with him in Harrow, Middlesex.

They had three children and she loved being a mother as well as wife.

Finding it hard to juggle a salon with three children she switched to being a mobile hairdresser, visiting elderly and disabled women in their homes.

She also went to cooking and sewing courses and made all the curtains for our family home that we grew up in.  I can remember her using the big dining table to lay everything out on.

And of course there was the knitting!!! Baby clothes, jumpers, cardigans, teddy bear outfits, as well as outfits for action men, long scarfs and not forgetting knitting the gearstick knob cover for my current car, which has proved extremely useful on a cold winter’s day.

On hearing of Mum’s passing, her niece Shelley called me from Australia to remind me that mum had knitted all the outfits for her baby daughter Catherine over thirty years ago.  Because they were of such great quality, it is my understanding Shelley still has them.

She only stopped knitting full time in her eighties after she broke her shoulder and was finding it very uncomfortable to do so.

founding members of the Cambridge-Oxford Owners Car Club in the UK

As an enthusiastic and confident driver, she and my father Mark were founding members of the Cambridge-Oxford Owners Car Club in the UK.

Jeanne with Mark also enjoyed Caravanning and regularly travelled around England and Europe with one.  Mum shared the driving with my father, towing the Caravan.

I have fond memories travelling away with my parents, often with Mum negotiating very tricky narrow mountain roads abroad.

She would also drive her two daughters every week to piano lessons, travelling a great distance from Harrow to Bourne End, which is in Buckinghamshire.

She would travel along both the unlit A40 and many unlit country lanes, before waiting in the car whilst they had their lessons. It was often cold especially during the winter months.  I recall one time when I was eight years old, the car battery went flat.  Mum had to use the starting handle to get the car going again whilst I held the torch for her so that she could see the hole in the front bumper and also ensure the starting handle was correctly located & connected to the engine pulley.  She successfully managed to get the car started again.

Mark and Jeanne never lost their love for dancing and were always found on the dance floor at functions.

she decided to train as a licensed black cab driver…the first woman in London to achieve this status

Later, following Mark’s heart attack and failing eyesight, she decided to train as a licensed black cab driver (so she could share his with him).

She was the first woman in London to achieve this status.

Initially not welcomed, Jeanne’s charm and perseverance soon turned things around.  She made a name for herself in Harrow on the local rank.

She was still driving a car up until the start of the pandemic.

Mum was a truly amazing parent and was always looking out for us all.

An example included her sending the Police around to check I was ok, whilst I was studying up in Newcastle, because I had forgotten to call.

Following Mark’s death she moved to Edgware, where she eventually met Sid Greenberg.  They were together for over fifteen years and often travelled on cruises around the world.

She also became a grandmother to Loren and Azara – who she adored and enjoyed spending time with.

Sadly her physical health started to fail in the last couple of years and worsened during the pandemic.  But mentally, she never lost it.  She retained her sense of fun and wicked sense of humour.

never missed an opportunity to socialise

My cousin Lisa reminded me of the gathering last year, at which Mum’s brother Harry, Lisa, Lisa’s sister Sharon and myself were all present.  It was a truly wonderful time spent with her.  Mum had us all in hysterical laughter with her amazing sense of humour.

She loved being around people and never missed an opportunity to socialise with others.  Up until the pandemic she was still attending family celebrations as well as various tea gatherings.

My sisters Gillian and Denise and I are so grateful that we were able to spend time with our Mum up until her ninety first year.

We are all heartbroken to lose our Mum, Nana, Sister, Aunt and Friend.

This loss is also felt by our family overseas including Australian cousins Earle, Shelley, Reuven (Russell) & Gillian.

But for her children, we take solace in knowing she is now reunited with her beloved “Marky”.

We are sure they are dancing together again – especially to their favourite style of dance -the Jive.