Norman & Bette Tyler
From Lacey Green History
click Families for other local families
From Hallmark 2009 by Mike Piercy (the new Editor)
This edition marks the change-over from Norman Tyler, to Mike Piercy as Editor.
Norman has edited Hallmark for the past 5 years, putting it onto a far more professional basis and increasing its appeal through the ‘introduction of photographs of local events. He is always cheerful and enthusiastic and has encouraged all the village groups and organisations to write for Hallmark. Before being editor, Norman was the Hallmark advertising manager for 8 years — so a total of 13 years of service. Now that he’s in his 80s he is going to take life a bit more easily, but | hope he will still contribute photographs and articles in the future.
Norman is a keen photographer. Over the years he has made many videos of village happenings, and takes these to the school to demonstrate what life used to be like, as part of their local studies curriculum.
He has also been instrumental in starting a Village History Group which Is beginning to record the history of the village on the internet, it can be seen at www.laceygreen.com/history. Norman is a bundle of energy; in spite of spending several years suffering from Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, he and his wife refused to give up their many interests.
The contribution of Norman and his wife Bette to our village life was recognised by an Outstanding Achievement Award from the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire. This was presented at the Chilterns Show in July.
Norman & Bette Tyler came to Lacey Green in 1968. They lived at Woodfield no 5.
Bette Tyler was a member of the executive Village Hall Committee in 1980, 1988 and 1999
Bette was the representative for The Womens Institute on the Village Hall Committee in 1980 and 1981.
Bette wrote The Womens Institute report for Hallmark on 10 occasions in 1991 - 1993.
Bette wrote the Windmills WI (evening WI) report for Hallmark 12 times between 1991 and 1996
The two following obituary tributes tell of Norman and Bette's lives.
The first for Norman Tyler 1928-2016) by Tony Smart
The second for Bette Tyler (1928-2018) by Leigh Axe
Norman Tyler
Norman Tyler - 9th October 1928 to 20th June 2016 by Tony Smart.
The funeral service took place at St. John's Church on the 4th July for Norman Tyler, a much loved and respected member of our community. Norman was born in 1928 in Quebec Canada and he, with his family, returned to England in 1939 settling in Coventry.
Norman was always very precise, a perfectionist, so it is no surprise to learn that he trained as an engineer. He was apprenticed to an engineering company, Armstrong Whitman and attended Coventry Technical College. He later became a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, the Institute of Production Engineers and was himself a Chartered Engineer.
His career shaped his life; everything had to be just right for Norman always the perfectionist. Norman married Bette in 1952, his lifelong partner and friend. Norman, with Bette's support, started his own company supplying high quality insert bits for machine tools. The successful company was bought out at a later date by Sumitomo Hardmetals Ltd and Norman continued working for the company as its Director till his retirement making many friends in Japan as a result.
Norman and Bette moved to Lacey Green in 1968 and since that time have been an integral part of the Community. Getting involved in many organisations and making deep and lasting friendships and this community has benefited tremendously as a result.
Norman loved this area and the surrounding countryside and was a very active member of the Happy Wanderers Walking club. But apart from the countryside the walking club gave him the opportunity to indulge in his other passion; his love of good food. Whilst many of us were putting on our walking boots after stopping at a local pub you could hear the cry; "Where's Norman" and the reply was, "Oh he's finishing his pudding"! He loved London and would arrange walking tours in the Capital for his friends and Village organisations often ending up with a good meal in an Italian restaurant.
Norman was a founding member of the local history group, was the editor of Hallmark for some years and gave his full support to the fund raising and building of the new Village Hall.
He enjoyed visits to the Mill at Sonning for an evening with friends listening to jazz, the music he loved, and took up short mat bowling, an activity he enjoyed to quite recently.
Those of you that knew Norman will remember well that he embraced modern technology and would always do his research with the help of the "Which Magazine" to determine the best piece of equipment to purchase. He was one of the first to have a hand held computer, his famous Psion, or his "little baby" as Bette called it. Every bit of information went into his Psion and it became an extension of Norman's memory. He could instantly tell you anybody's phone number or such detail as the room number and cost of a hotel that they stayed in five years earlier and even the view from the window!
Apart from technology Norman's main hobby was photography, from black and white film, colour slides, movies, videos and later digital photography Norman amassed a wealth of family and local history. As our Village photographer over the years he recorded all aspects of village life including the reconstruction of the Windmill, the building of the new village hall and events such as village day. Many of the photographs in Hallmark over the years were taken by Norman. The photographs, video's and the old movie films were shown at village days and other local events and taken to St John's school where Norman was very popular with the children who were introduced to an original movie projector for the first time.
Norman was a great family man, he and Bette had two sons John and Robert. Norman was very proud of his family, their partners, Clare and Jackie and his Grandson Adam. He was delighted when Adam went to University to study Physics - a subject that encompassed his own passion for engineering and technology.
He loved to travel the world and with Bette visited many countries, meeting with friends old and new. Bette recalls the epic 11,000-mile journey across America, not in a hire car, but typical of Norman's resourcefulness, he purchased a car, registered it in California and on reaching their final destination in Washington he then sold it.
Norman had all his family around him for Father's day on the 19th June and sadly passed away on the 20th. He will be missed by all of us in the village and further afield but most of all by his close family to whom we send our sincere condolences.
Norman enjoyed life to the full and was always there to help out and support family, friends and our village organisations, and I would like to end this with a quote, which for me sums up Norman. "Life is a journey and not a destination."
A journey from which all who knew Norman have benefited.
Bette Tyler 1928 - 2018 by Leigh Axe. (click Leigh & Yvonne Axe for more about Leigh
Bette would often dismiss any concerns with "Life's too short"....
Bette never knew her Mum who died very shortly after childbirth. With no help then available from the state, Dad - in order to work - arranged to move her, her older brother and himself in with Bette's Aunt and Uncle in Kenilworth in Warwickshire just on the edge of Coventry. There was a cousin, Roy and they all grew up together. Bette's memories were of the kettle never going cold and much laughter - she had a good family life.
The property was part of a saw-mill where they cut up trees and made - well anything made of wood. It was actually owned by her Granddad and he was a very kind man who would decline to send out a bill for a coffin to those who had little. I think Bette inherited that gene.
Bette like all kids got up to mischief and feared little. She and Roy would climb high in the rafters, without safety net, directly over the circular saw bench, and sit watching the logs cut up far below. Above all she remembered fun - a search for toffees game involved her uncle throwing a handful into the woods for her and Roy to run in and find. And how would she have done in the Tour-de-France I wonder - Bette was determined to be the last person to get off and walk when cycling up hill.
Bette was just 11 when her older brother died, it was his 21st birthday. He went down with the Royal Oak in the first year of the War. Her memories of war never went away, she would shudder today at the sound of sirens - she lived just outside Coventry where they built spitfires, a regular target, and she remembers hiding, her teeth chattering with fear, under the table. It was a time when nearly everyone was affected by loss and Bette maybe saw that they had to deal with it and she would have to do the same. Nevertheless a very early introduction to death for one so young.
Tragedy was never far away. Her Uncle and Father were digging a well, taking turns going down in a bucket and filling it with soil. One morning Dad was unwell and his brother - Bette's uncle, Roy's father, went down instead. He died within minutes from methane gas seeped in overnight. I suspect that it had started the day before and that's what had made her Dad ill.
Bette had a younger cousin, Bernard whom they called Bun. With 10 yrs difference Bette would have helped bring him up and Bun did get to see Bette at Stoke Mandeville two days before she died.
When Bette reached working age she got a job as a telephonist. It was on a bus home that she was spotted by Norman - they married in 1952. Their family is John and Robert; partners Claire and Jackie, and Bette's 'favourite' Grandson, Adam.
Bette also worked as a Methodist Sunday-school teacher - she actually retained a very strong belief to the end. Rob remembers following her around at her skirt tails. He was just 4 when Bette lost her father. She talked about her one real regret as not going to see him before she went on holiday - he was dead when she came home.
Bette was coping with all these tragedies, learning that life can indeed be too short but she remembered all the laughter she had growing up and realised life needs to be enjoyed while you can. She was likeable and kind, willing to make friends with anybody and everybody. She liked people, she was interested in them and loved their company. They responded in kind and on her 90th birthday just a few weeks before she died, so many visited that Bette exhausted herself giving them all a hug.
Norm changed jobs a couple of times which entailed moving and he and Bette somehow finally arrived in Lacey Green in 1968 - 50 years ago. He set up a business, Norman Tyler Sales in Risborough - it involved repairing, often re-grinding and setting worn tools and machinery. Norm then got involved with a Japanese company - Sumitomo - and became their sole agent for importing and distributing their machine tools. Bette looked after the Japanese liaison officers that came over, and went to Japan with Norman on several occasions. It gave them both a yen for travelling.
Back home they both got involved in Village life. Bette joined the Village Hall committee - this was the old hall. She would hold meetings at home and all went home absolutely stuffed with Lasagne.
Remember the miners strike - Bette organised beat the Gloom parties, again back at hers, and bring a candle.
Christmas, every Christmas, was the best excuse for a houseful although mainly family this time.
There was Bette's Art Group (the BAGS), although more talking then Art.
They got involved in everything:
Bette helped Norm stuff leaflets in each of 600 Hallmark magazines he edited and delivered them to post persons in every street.
Village Day; Strawberry Tea; she loved helping at Youth Club and the kids voted her the most scary witch at Halloween night.
She did meals on wheels but got the sack - they loved the lovely chats, but not cold dinner.
She helped fund raise for the building of the Village Hall and was involved in The Twinning Association of our Village with Hambye in France.
In between all this they started travelling and once travelled 11000 miles across America.
In 2008 Bette's beloved cousin Roy died. In 2016 it was Norman's turn. This was hard for Bette, it was a blessing that John had come home having retired from working in Kent to help her through it.
John introduced an exercise routine with them both walking daily down to The Foundry at Foundry Lane and back. John worked out that for every 150 ascents of Loosley Hill they had climbed the height of Mount Everest, and at the age of 87 Bette reached the summit of Everest for the eleventh time - without oxygen, and just wearing her trainers. John also kept a tally of the distance they had travelled, and although age was against Bette she did get as far as Syria before her huge but failing heart couldn't take it.
Bette believed in supporting the local pub and John says she was prepared to do this single handed. And Bette was generous to a fault. After she stopped driving, she insisted on taking my wife and I to lunch more than once for running her everywhere- this required a lot of effort on my part - reversing all of 10 yards and taking her to the exact same place as we were going.
Bette and Norman's legacy.
This village has to be the most welcoming and friendliest in the country. Most villages you normally don't get spoken to for the first 5 years. But several people have said that the first people to say hello to them was either Bette or Norm. Indeed when we arrived at Meadow Rise around 2006, we were, while still unpacking, invited to an event at the Home of Rest for Horses. We sat at Bette and Normans' table. Bette made a point of talking to Yvonne and I, making us feel welcome and I think I may have made her laugh. We inevitably became friends.
I am pretty sure that with 50 years in which to do it, Bette must have been largely responsible for our Village Ethos - To be friendly and welcoming to newcomers and to continue to be so with each other ... because ... "Life's Too Short".
The following article was printed in Hallmark in 2018
Bette Tylers Farewell Tea by Mrs Freeman, daughter of Norman & Bette Tyler. see photos above on the right
I am delighted to report that the Strawberry Tea at Loosley Dene in memory of my mother really could not have gone better. The sun shone, the jazz band played and well over a hundred people turned out to enjoy tea, cakes and chat, set against a spectacular view in Sarah & Tim Halliday's delightful garden.
There were Kunekune pigs and miniature donkeys to stroke, herbs and roses to sniff, a gruffalo to hunt and a den for the children to hide away in. Who could ask for more!
It was a marvellous afternoon, and particularly appropriate because for many years my mother had helped to organise the annual Strawberry Tea at a string of different venues around the village and | know that she would have loved this one, Surrounded by so many of her dear friends.
As well as being a hugely enjoyable afternoon, thanks to everyone's generosity we raised over a thousand pounds to support St John's School's wildlife garden, and | am sure that she would have approved of that too as she always enjoyed being with children (she served as a ‘Tuck Shop Operative' at the Youth Club until she was nearly ninety!).
So I would just like to say a large 'thank you' to everyone who did so much to make it such a wondertul and memorable occasion. To Sarah and Tim for coming up with the idea in the first place, and for the hours of hard work that went into organising it. To all the ladies of the WI catering corps who tirelessly made and served all those delicious cakes. To the lads in the band, whose music did so much to make the occasion so special. To whoever it was who arranged for the rain to pause just long enough for us to enjoy the afternoon and get home before it started again. And last but certainly not least, to all of you who came along to support us. It was a perfect village day.
St John's C of E Primary School would like to say a big "Thank You" to all the people who attended the Strawberry Tea in memory of Bette Tyler at Sarah Halliday's beautiful garden. The day was a great success, with the weather holding out and everyone enjoying the delicious cakes and cream teas provided by the WI.
Sarah very generously donated all of the entrance money to regenerate the school's Wildlife Garden, known as Hogan's Hideaway. The money is going to be used to purchase plants and materials to make the garden useable for all the children at the school to access.
The idea is that children will go in and explore the wildlife, through pond dipping, bird watching in a hide and observing the insects attracted by the different variety of wild flowers. Watch this space for updates and pictures.