Tributes have been paid to a community powerhouse from who founded the Campsea Ashe’s Women’s Institute and Mothers’ Union branches.
Linda Cadman, 70, died following a fall at her home in Wickham Market in April 7, an inquest heard yesterday.
Assistant coroner Kevin McCarthy read aloud a statement from her daughter Louise, who described her as “a very busy person” with a “strong Christian faith”.
The inquest heard Mrs Cadman grew up in Cornwall with two sisters, Wendy and Janet, and her brother Ian, later moving to Suffolk, attending Mills Grammar School in Framlingham.
She married police officer Andrew Cadman in 1969 and set up home in Snape, where they had two daughters, Louise and Carolyn. The family later moved to Little Glenham and then Campsey Ashe, where Linda and Andrew lived for 20 years.
“As part of her strong Christian faith, mum assisted to run the Sunday school for the parish, helped out in the church and also helped at all the church fundraising events,” said Louise’s letter. “
“This wasn’t busy enough for mum and so she joined a small group of ladies in the area who decided to set up a women’s institute group. This group ran successfully for many years with mum having some time as the leader of the group.”
The inquest heard that in the years following her husband’s death, Mrs Cadman had thrown herself into her community work.
“I saw mum blossom into her own individual identity again,” said Louise’s letter.
Following her death, tributes filled the Mothers’ Union website.
Linda Ginn, branch leader of Campsea Ashe MU said: “She established, nurtured and cherished the Campsea Ashe Benefice Branch for well over a decade, and we have appreciated all that she has done for us.”
The inquest heard Mrs Cadman had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had been going through treatment at the time of her death. She had slipped when getting out of the bath, which Mr McCarthy said could have been as a result of being dizzy from her cancer treatment, and struck her head. He concluded that her death was an accident.
Following the hearing, Mr McCarthy said: “Mrs Cadman was a lady I would have quite enjoyed meeting.”
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