Sylvia Danon obituary

Sylvia Marguerite Danon née Wright, of St Mary's House, Hampton, London, has died aged 99. She was born in north London on Thursday the 31st of January 1924, the seventh of the eight children of Arthur Wright and Ethel May Wright née Armstrong of Haringey, London. Arthur Wright had served as a mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps during the first world war and he subsequently serviced machinery for International Stores, a chain of grocers. Ethel Armstrong had come to London from Tyneside to work as a domestic servant and then married. All of their eight children grew to adulthood, and each married and had at least one child. Just one of Ethel and Arthur’s direct offspring now survives, Alan Thomas Armstrong-Wright.

The second world war saw Sylvia evacuated to the countryside with one of her elder sisters, Betty. The war interrupted Sylvia's education but she had been to grammar-school and knew shorthand and typing, so she got a wartime job with a secret establishment where young men were trained to be parachuted into occupied Europe to spy on the Germans and help the resistance. She then joined the firm that was to be her only civilian employer, Metal Bulletin, a trade newspaper, which survives as Fastmarkets MB.

Sylvia met Marcel Jean Danon on holiday in Brussels and they married on 17 February 1951. Paul, their only child, was born in 1954. The family lived in Stanmore and Northwood, Middlesex. Among the books which Sylvia helped to compile was Iron and Steel Works of the World. She and Marcel retired to Woburn, Bedfordshire, in 1984. Marcel died in 2005 and Sylvia entered residential care in 2013. She died on 10 August 2023 and is survived by Paul, his wife Mary, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Mass

Mass will be offered for her departed soul at St Theodore of Canterbury, Hampton, at 09:30 on Wednesday 6 September 2023.

Funeral including live streaming

The funeral will be at South West Middlesex Crematorium at 12:20 on Wednesday 6 September 2023.  The funeral will also be streamed online and available for subsequent playback and/or download.

Funeral directors: Lodge & Keates, Hampton.

Condolences received from (selection)

Zoe (step-granddaughter) and Luke Burgess-Foreman, Bath

Fiona Burgess (step-granddaughter), Sydney, Australia

Jackie Boronow Danson, Hampshire

Anita and Pietro Tozzi, Surrey

Nalini Delaney, Hampshire

Mark Speed, Hampshire

Hugh and Joan Speed

Willow residential care home, Buckinghamshire

Melanie Collaco, Little Way Association, London

Jenny and Paul Robinson, grandparents of Theodore, Sylvia’s elder great-grandson

Ian Goodacre, widower of the late Rosemary Goodacre née Danon, Kent

Chloe Lara, HP Inc UK Ltd

Katy Sjogren, HP Inc UK Ltd

Marc Bernier, HP Inc UK Ltd

Sune Skafte, HP Denmark

Messages and tributes (selection)

“We all send our deepest sympathies to you and your family during this very difficult time” Ed Baily, HP Inc UK Ltd

“I am so incredibly sorry for your loss Paul. My thoughts are with you and your family.” Valentina Vitolo, HP Inc UK Ltd

“I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved mother and send sympathy and love. I think she might have made 100? She certainly lived a long and inspiring life. Thinking of all the Wrights, and you especially.” Lindsay Hooper née Wright, niece, South Africa

“Beautiful inside and out and I'll never forget her.” Jan Joyner, former neighbour in Woburn

“I did so love my Auntie Sylvia and have some lovely memories of her.” Lesley Callaghan, niece, Glasgow

“She was a wonderful lady, kind and funny and I shall always remember her for that.” Jo Elliott, great-niece, Bedfordshire

“I’m with Mum right now and we’re sharing some of our happy memories of your lovely, sweet, funny mum.” Miranda Armstrong, niece, Bath

“It is obviously a sad day and conjures up a kaleidoscope of lovely memories of times we have spent with her. We have shared and benefited from Sylvia’s laughter and wonderful sense of humour; her kindness and thoughtfulness.” June Armstrong-Wright, sister-in-law, London

“Oh I’m so sorry, she was a delightful lady. I’m a lucky man to have some time with both of them.” Mr David Hay, restaurateur, Woburn

“She was a lovely lady and I will miss her. A loss to all who knew her.” Christine Ronaldson, niece, Oxfordshire

“She was so kind to me, always made me feel loved. I treasure her laugh and her unfailing good humour.” Roger Finn né Armstrong-Wright, nephew, Hampshire

“My heartfelt condolences to you and your family on the loss of your beloved mother; may her soul rest in peace.” Peter Sebastian, Paul’s brother-in-law, Malaysia

“So sorry to hear about Granny. Thinking of you and sending love.” Suzanne Cumberbatch Danon, grand-daughter-in-law, Warwickshire

“A really lovely lady, full of good humour and grace, plenty of wit and a loving mum to you. Lots of memories of Northwood Way. Really sorry to hear this. Bless you and yours at this sad time.” Graham Wells, (very) old family-friend, Worcestershire

“Oh Paul, that is such sad news on such a beautiful morning. She was such a lovely, kind auntie. My thoughts are with you.” Gill Mann née Wright, niece, Sussex

“Dear BIL my condolences and prayers are with you and family. So sorry for your loss.” Rosie Sebastian, Paul’s sister-in-law, Penang, Malaysia

“I have such fond memories of auntie Sylvia and remember all too well her great kindness towards me”. Michael Pitts, nephew (Danon-family), Berkshire