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Mavis Mantle Obituary
Mavis
August 7th 2025
suddenly at home, aged 90 years, Mavis Mantle of Ripon
(formerly of Melmerby), beloved mother of Margaret and David, mother-in-law of Dawn,
a loving nana and great-nana, dear sister and aunt.
Service at St Mary's Church, Wath on Tuesday September 9th
at 1.30pm.
Cremation Private.
Family flowers only please, if desired, donations in memory for
Middle of the Road.
Plate provided at the service.
Memories and Condolences
for Mavis Mantle
1 Entry
Christian cotton
September 8, 2025
Celebrating the Life of Mavis "Big Nana" Mantle
Today we remember, with love and a smile, our one and only Big Nana - Mavis Mantle. She wasn´t just my great grandmother, she was a whole experience. From the minute you stepped into her home, you knew two things were guaranteed: there would be cake / biscuits, and there would be useful advice. Usually both at the same time.
When I was little, those visits were magic, and always looked forward to them, mum would drop me off. There´d be plates of cakes piled high, and while you were tucking in, she´d slip in one of her "life lessons." My favourite was her rule about buttering bread on the right sides so the sandwiches lined up properly, she said it was my birthday gift then surprised me with a game I always wanted at that age, I thought then, why does this matter so much? But soon realise it was typical Big Nana - she could take even the simplest thing and show you how to do it with care. And of course, she was right... sandwiches do look better her way.
She had a brilliant sense of humour too, often without even trying. Like the time we got stuck for hours at Alicante Airport because her metal knee kept setting off the alarms. Most people would have been cross - not Big Nana. She laughed and kept me entertained while the security staff tried to figure out if she was hiding a saucepan in her leg, as she would argue.
During Covid, when the world went quiet, she and I wrote to each other all the time. Those letters weren´t just words on paper - they were comfort, laughter, and love sent back and forth. She kept me company in a lonely time, and I hope I did the same for her.
The last time I saw her was in 2022, when my son Nathan was born. Four generations together - and she was absolutely over the moon. I´ll never forget her face holding him, like the world´s proudest great-nan. That photo meant more to me than I can ever say. And makes me smile every time o think about it.
Life hasn´t been straightforward since, and I haven´t been able to see Nathan. But I know for both of us, she´ll always be part of our story. She wasn´t just the kindest and sweetest lady - though she was that too - she was Big Nana. The best baker, the best advice-giver, the best storyteller, and the best knee at setting off airport security in the whole world.
Each of us in the family will miss her in our own way. We all had our special moments with her, our own memories that no one else can touch. And maybe, just maybe, losing her can bring us closer together again. Families aren´t always easy - the past has a way of pulling people apart - but Big Nana´s love was big enough for all of us. If anything can remind us what matters, it´s her. Maybe through her memory, we can find our way back to one another.
We´ll miss her more than words can say. But we´ll keep telling her stories, passing down her little lessons, and probably making a sandwich the "proper" way, just like she taught us.
Rest easy, Big Nana. You really were one of a kind - and the best anyone could ever ask for.
I love you big nanna
Lots of love from christian
(If any family would like to get in contact, or reconnect as much as me [email protected])
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