Bromborough comes to a standstill for funeral of popular training centre receptionist

Apr 21 2010 by Jamie McLoughlin, Birkenhead News

BROMBOROUGH town centre was brought to a standstill on Thursday afternoon as hundreds gathered to say their goodbyes to a popular member of the community who died suddenly at Easter.

Traffic was gridlocked as mourners made their way to St Barnabas Church to remember Dot Spilletts.

Dot, 62, died in Arrowe Park Hospital on Bank Holiday Monday after taking ill at her Cunningham Drive home on Good Friday.

St Barnabas, on Church Square, was filled to capacity as family, friends and colleagues - all asked to wear bright shades, especially Dot’s favourite colour purple - remembered the fun-loving mother and grandmother described as an ‘Angel of Laughter’ on the order of service.

Dot, a receptionist at Acre Lane training centre until her retirement in April 2007, who also worked at the switchboard and reception in Hamilton Buildings in Birkenhead, was remembered with such affection by her past colleagues that many attended the service led by Reverend Richard Orton, with the congregation standing at least four-deep at the back of the church.

Dot’s husband John Spilletts, known to everyone as ‘Splosh’, paid tribute to his wife of 39 years during the service in a moving speech, lightened with anecdotes about the amusing incidents his wife regularly found herself unwittingly caught up in.

John said afterwards: “Although Dot had been retired for three years, the turnout of ex-work colleagues at the church was incredible.