74
THE REEDER 2018
OR NEWS & EVENTS
In Memoriam
Our tributes to ORs and friends whose deaths we have sadly learned about this year.
Anne Wills (née Porter) Former Matron To February 2017 This tribute has kindly been written by Maureen Savage who knew Anne when at Reed’s. She writes: I heard from Rodney Wills last Christmas that his wife Anne had passed away on 1st February 2017. Anne was appointed by the then Headmaster, Mr Drayson, in 1958 as the School House Keeper, responsible for catering and the hiring of Matrons. Mr Exton commented at Speech Day in 1966 that Anne was leaving after eight years at the School, in which time she had given invaluable service. However, she was leaving for the best of all reasons: she was engaged to be married to Mr Rodney Wills, who taught Mathematics from 1960 at Reed’s and became my late husband, John Savage’s Assistant Housemaster at the Close. Rodney and Anne married in August 1966 and settled in Upper Poppleton, near York.
Anne gave birth to a daughter, Barbara in 1969 and Rodney joined the staff of Bootham School, York, until his retirement. Sadly Anne’s health declined; she was cared for at home, unable to walk for some time and finally entered a nursing home, where she celebrated her 90th birthday and their golden wedding anniversary. Rodney is now in a retirement apartment at Easingwold, near to his daughter and her husband’s home.
