By ROSALIND SAUL

Published at 07:43, Wednesday, 06 February 2013

TALENTED cook Doreen Archer who dominated the industrial classes at Allendale’s annual shows, has died.

Doreen Archer.

Doreen, whose skills saw her regularly taking home the silverware at both Allendale Flower Show and Allendale Agricultural Show, died at Hexham General Hospital last week. She was 73.

Her funeral on Monday was attended by 200 mourners drawn from across the district, testament to a life spent living and working in the Tynedale area.

The daughter of Harold and Hannah Isabelle Philipson, Doreen was brought up in Allenheads with her sister, Joan.

She attended schools in Allenheads and Allendale before going to work at Gibson’s Solicitors in Hexham.

A love of dancing twirled her into the arms of her future husband, Robbie, when the pair met at a dance in Allendale village hall in 1956.

Two years later they married at Allenheads, settling at Stocksfield to raise their family of four – sons, Malcolm and Derek, and daughters, Linda and Caroline.

Robbie’s work as a farm labourer saw the family moving around the county, including a stint spent living and working at Capheaton.

Doreen gave up work to look after their children and in her free time was the Sunday School teacher at Ingoe Methodist Chapel.

When the family returned to the Allen Valley, setting up home in Catton around 30 years ago, she became the Sunday School teacher at the village’s Methodist church.

With her children at school Doreen returned to work, first at Catton Co-op and then at Tynedale Council’s housing department where she worked until her retirement at 65.

“I think she enjoyed work,” said youngest daughter Caroline.

“She was very family orientated and lived for family occasions. There would be 25 of us altogether at Christmas trying to open presents!

“She suffered from Crohn’s disease from a young age and had an operation on her leg, but was determined to get about and it frustrated her that she couldn’t do quite as much as she wanted, but she never gave in.”

Doreen was a keen indoor bowler and one of the original committee members of Catton Village Fair, putting her cookery talents to good use at local shows and events.

She is survived by her husband, four children, 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk