Marge Johns

MARGE Johns (Margaret), a committed community activist and chair of Kerridge Court tenants and residents association, died at home aged 82 on August 22 following a short illness.

Born in 1940, Marge was raised in Lambeth and grew up as one of 11 children. She moved to Islington in 1975 as a licensee of an off-licence in Essex Road before moving to Kerridge Court in Mildmay ward in 1977.

She was employed by Islington Council for many years as a care worker at the Hadley House care home, where she was loved by the residents who she supported with compassion and care.

She was chair of Kerridge Court Tenants and Residents Associates for more than 30 years.

Her daughter, Reverend Beverly Charles, led the funeral service and shared how overwhelmed the family had been to be contacted by neighbours daily in the weeks following Marge’s death.

Dozens of residents knocked on the door to tell her family about how she helped them, fought the council on their behalf and offered advice and support.

She made a huge difference in her community, treating neighbours as if they were family and always talking about how happy she was to see new families move onto the estate.

She was most proud of securing funding for the park and ball court, championing youth work and organising regular trips to the seaside for older residents.

She loved young people and continually pushed for more services for them. She found Town Hall meetings tedious and hated the limelight, but she always went because she wanted to make sure her residents were represented.

Her daughter, Amanda Charles, remembered “a truly great mum who was driven by a strong social conscience married to a sense of community spirit and civic responsibility”.

Her funeral on September 20 at the Islington Crematorium in East Finchley was standing room only after more than 100 family members and friends attended, including Jeremy Corbyn MP.

Councillor Jenny Kay gave a eulogy and said: “If every estate had someone like Marge the world would be a much better place.”

She leaves behind her three sisters, five children, Laurence, Glen, Amanda, Debbie and Beverly, and two step-children, Teresa and Denis, as well as nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.