36 | FOREVER Keele
In Memoriam
Judith Mary Baren nee Muge
MATHS AND PHILOSOPHY , CLASS OF 1963
Written by Maurice Baren ( husband )
Judith was born at Sutton in Surrey in 1940 , early in the Second World War . Her father only knew of her arrival after receiving a telegram from England announcing her birth ; he had joined the army and was in Tangier , in Africa !
In 1948 the family moved to Dover . She passed her 11 + exam and went to Dover Girls
Grammar School . Discovering her love of music , she joined the school choir and the one at Charlton Church , continuing to be a member of both until going to university .
It was her headmistress who encouraged Judith to come to Keele . In 1962 Joe Batt , a fellow student , encouraged her to go on a Refugee Work camp , for just two weeks , to Austria , and it was there that we met , and fell in love . We got engaged the day she received her degree and married the following year .
We made our first home in Burnley , Lancashire and Judith taught at Burnley Girls High School , before starting a family , Andrew , Peter , and
Caroline . We later moved to Birmingham and finally moved to Haworth . We became involved with Lees Methodist Church , Judith becoming the organist , and taught in the Sunday School . For a period of years , she served on the National Committee of Action for Children .
Through my work I became involved in ‘ Yorkshire in Bloom ’ and she also became a judge . When I was invited to judge overseas , Judith always came to the Awards Ceremonies , visiting places such as Slovenia , France , Hungary , and Canada .
We had been happily married for 56 years when she died on 30 December 2020 .