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May
27
Anita Hewitt Jones 1926 - 2007
Filed Under Misc., Musical Heros |
Anita Hewitt-Jones, Composer and Teacher, and wife of Tony Hewitt-Jones, died peacefully at Cheltenham Hospital yesterday morning after a very short illness.
*****
Known to hundreds of music students as ‘Granny’ for her tireless work as a teacher of cello (particularly at the Beauchamp Music Courses that ran for many years in Gloucestershire), she was a prolific writer of educational music, and her compositions (available through Edition Peters) are performed by many thousands of young performers throughout the world. I fondly remember visiting the old Bond Street Chappells store and finding she had her own section next to Heifetz in the string section — her music was always sold out!
As matriarch to the entire Hewitt Jones/Lumsden musical clan, she was an inspirational role model, supporter, babysitter, Bed & Breakfast service, audience-gatherer, and of course much-loved mother and grandmother to her extensive selection of children (cellist Tim Hewitt Jones and violinist/teacher Caroline Lumsden) and grandchildren (of Carducci Quartet, Grace, Court Lane Music, to name just a few).
Just last Monday she came down to London on her own to visit us, full of energy and life, and happily talking of future plans. A virus struck barely two days later and led to severe pneumonia. Through the quirks of others’ schedules, I happened to be there during her final two days at home, and was delighted by her dignity, wit and not the slightest lack of coherence… she was herself through and through and left us in the nicest, most peaceful way possible.
Granny will be sorely missed by many (even if her cooking won’t be 
). Rest in peace, etc.
UPDATE: Funeral 6th June 2007 in Cheltenham. 01242 512159 for details.