Shrewsbury operatic society stalwart dies
Angela Davies, who devoted over 60 years to Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic Society as a performer, director, and ultimately for over 30 years as its secretary, has died.
Chairman Steve Thomas described her as the "absolute backbone" of the society, saying: "There will never be another Angela - a true performer, both on and off stage, right to her final days."
Her husband Bob said: "Right up to the very end she was still involved as secretary and even got me last week, when she was not feeling so well, to ring the chairman to apologise to him that she had not been able to do the minutes for the last committee meeting."
Angela, from Bayston Hill, died on Monday, May 21. She would have been 78 on June 1. She leaves husband Bob, sons Ian and Russell, and five grandchildren.
The funeral is at Emstrey crematorium, Shrewsbury, at 12.30pm on June 7.
Angela, a life member and former president, was involved in scores of society productions. She first became involved as a teenager, following her mother Mrs Gladys Moreton, who was in the chorus, on stage.
"She had been to the Wendy Everest School of Dancing in Shrewsbury as a youngster and initially she was basically a dancer," said retired journalist Bob.
"She graduated to join the chorus as a singer. Although she never had a lead part or anything like that, she was wholeheartedly involved in the productions, performing at the Granada, and then the Music Hall, and then at the Theatre Severn.
"She became assistant director to Joan Pinnington, and then a director in her own right, directing a number of shows. She was also the society's secretary for over 30 years.
"In her working life she started in an insurance company in Shrewsbury and then became a secretary to the Shropshire Horticultural Society, organisers of Shrewsbury Flower Show.
"It was while she was there that we met. I went to interview her, because I was working at the time on the Shrewsbury Advertiser and each week we did a personality girl column. I went to interview her because it was flower show time and she was heavily involved in the organisation.
"That was in the summer of 1962 and I suppose you might say that the rest is history. Funnily enough, a couple of days after I had interviewed her we were at the Music Hall where Acker Bilk was playing - we hadn't gone together - and I plucked up the courage to ask her to have a drink, and she declined, saying she had come to listen to the music.
"We got together later, becoming engaged the following Valentine's Day and we married at St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury, in October 1963.
"When our family were old enough to go to school she became the secretary of Oakland County Primary School at Bayston Hill, and was there for 30 years."
Steve said: "Angela was the absolute backbone of Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic Society. We are incredibly proud of our heritage and equally proud of the way we are embracing the present and looking to the future, and Angela was always there to glue together this approach.
"Angela had an amazing ability to get things done behind the scenes quietly by going about her numerous roles without any fuss.
"She had given over 60 years loyal service as an actor, dancer, director, committee member, and honorary secretary."
