Kent Golf Limited
Jill Parker
Date published: 11 Jan 2023
We are very sad to announce that Jill Parker has passed away on the 8th of December. Jill was a KCLGA Captain in 1998 and 1999 and a long standing member of Lamberhurst GC and also a member at Rye GC in Sussex. Read about Jill's life below:
Jill Parker at Lamberhurst Golf Club
Golf was very, very close to Jill’s heart. She started her golfing career at Hawkhurst Golf Club a long time ago! Moving to Lamberhurst where she was a member for 45 years. She quickly became closely involved in the ladies section and was first secretary and in 1990, the club’s centenary year, was Ladies Captain. A year of remarkable organisation and great golf.
She didn’t confine her golf to just Lamberhurst though and was also a member at Rye. She also played very successfully in a number of Kent competitions. Winning a number of these playing with juniors -Olivia Waterman and Sharon Port, her peers and her seniors, both ladies and mixed - usually in pairs but not forgetting the Bradley Cook scratch team. As you imagine she was a formidable opponent and certainly rose to a challenge. When she sunk a putt on the 18th green in the Holland Trophy playing with Pam Tanner, their opponents dared to call Jill a ‘toad’.
She delighted in her Spode coffee mugs. Won at Deal sinking another colossal putt, in a county four ball competition with partner Sarah Miller and thereby edging out fellow club members Vicki Soutar and Linda Daker into third place. She took delight in reminding them of such thereafter.
At Rye she played in a number of Division Sussex matches for the club and is fondly remembered as a competitive match player and wily with it!
Although maybe this indomitable spirit went too far when at West Kent she fell but really wanted to continue the game and not let her team down. She limped on with bruising and in obvious pain for another three holes. Trips to two hospitals later proved a broken ankle.
She went on to be County Captain for Kent Ladies in 1998 and 1999 - a real accolade. Because of all this golf played throughout Kent she was renowned for knowing all the Kent roads and shortcuts - in fact GPS should be renamed JPS!
She was always so welcoming to new members and took them under her wing, nurturing their golf as well as ensuring all rules and etiquette were adhered to. She played with Yvonne Drummond in Yvonne’s first big competition at Lamberhurst and as only Jill could brought her in the winner - it’s debatable who was more pleased.
This calm, wise and steadfast nature shone through whilst caddying for a number of Lamberhurst ladies in Kent competitions, helping them to victory or buying them a glass of wine as commiseration.
Those who played golf with her or who were involved in any way with her were very, very lucky to have her as a friend and golfing partner.
Speech written by Yvonne Drummond, the Lady Captain of Lamberhurst GC
Ladies, there is someone who sadly isn’t here with us at today’s Christmas lunch - Jill Parker who passed away peacefully a week past Thursday at the age of 92. Jilly P was a member here at Lamberhurst for 44 years. Many of us here will have played with her. I remember the year I joined she took me under her wing and I played in my first Spring meeting with her and as only Jill could, she kept me on the straight and narrow and she brought me in as the winner. She was as pleased as me! She had great success in golf on her own but also in particular partnering amongst others Olivia Waterman and Sharon Port. As well as playing golf she was an invaluable and wise caddy and took part in all aspects of and appreciated good golf.
She was Captain here in 1990 and subsequently Kent Captain in 1998 and 1999. This was all achieved at the same time as inventing some new raspberry or other at the East Malling Agriculture Research Centre.
Jill always took such interest in everyone she met and was renowned throughout Cranbrook by shopkeepers, the hairdressers, the coffee shops and lots and lots of friends. In the last few years she had a few trips and falls in the town but remarkably always managed to trip straight into the arms of a young man who would then quite often go round the next day to see she was alright - I’m going to start perfecting that skill I think!
She really was the most incredible lady who will be greatly missed by so many people. We were very lucky to have her as a friend so let’s raise our glasses to her - Jill Parker.
Funeral service on Thursday 19th January at Hastings Crematorium 10.15am
Colourful clothes please!
Webcast will be available for those unable to attend. Webcast link.
Use this PIN number to access the webcast: 107-1810
Webcast Viewing Instructions are available here.
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