Tributes to 95-year-old former Ottery teacher
Mona Inglefield lived in Ottery all her life.
TRIBUTES have been paid to a late 95-year-old former teacher whose ‘outstanding’ work once helped turn a failing school around.
Mona Inglefield died in a nursing home on July 10. She’d lived in Ottery all her life.
Her nephew Simon Williams, 67, of Gerway Lane, this week said his aunt ‘made a huge mark on people’s lives’ and added: “She is a lady who will be fondly remembered by many.”
Born on March 21, 1916, Mona was a student at The King’s School and began teacher training at Exmouth’s Rolle College in 1946.
She spent the next decade teaching in Clyst Honiton, Farway and Ottery.
“A lot of people in Ottery will remember her time at the infants’ school,” said Simon.
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In 1957, Mona was appointed headmistress at Awliscombe School where she stayed until her retirement in 1981.
“She made a huge mark on people’s lives during this time, increasing school attendance numbers from around 20 to 100 by the time she retired,” said Simon.
“She was a firm but fair teacher, extremely highly thought of by parents, villagers and pupils alike.
“She was an outstanding headmistress and turned a failing school around.”
Mona enjoyed retirement with a full life of activities, interests and travel.
She worked as a volunteer in the physiotherapy department at Ottery Hospital and attended art classes for years and painted many watercolours of good quality.
Mona also became an accomplished lace maker, and appeared in an edition of Devon Life magazine.
She also found time to travel and visited India, China, Russia and Egypt.
She also bought a camper van and went on a trip through Europe, going as far as Yugoslavia, with her sister Doreen.
