A TV star remembered for her “beautiful smile” has died simply days after celebrating her 95th birthday.
Actress and singer Jean Dike, additionally identified by her stage identify June Marlow, handed away surrounded by family after a protracted and extraordinary life.
The Plymouth-born performer appeared in a string of hit tv exhibits over the many years — together with ITV drama Doc Martin.
She died on February 22 on the residence she adored overlooking Sutton Harbour, simply weeks after turning 95.
Jean spent her last days within the condo she had known as residence for 35 years, comforted by family members and supported by carers from St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.
Tributes have poured in for the glamorous entertainer, devoted mum and much-loved grandmother, who lived what her family described as a life full of “dignity, elegance and grace”.
Her daughter Kate Van Dike, who moved in to take care of her across the clock, praised the hospice employees who helped the family hold Jean at residence.
She stated: “They handled Mum with such tenderness and acknowledged her as a very powerful particular person.
“We could never have cared for her at home without their help.”
Kate added that the help from nurses felt like “the cavalry arriving” throughout Jean’s last weeks.
Even as her health pale, the much-loved actress refused to dwell.
“Mum didn’t want to focus on that,” Kate stated.
“She kept looking forward and was always pragmatic and driven.”
And proper to the tip, the star who had spent a lifetime entertaining audiences by no means misplaced the heat folks remembered her for.
Kate added: “Even at the end she was still able to flash her beautiful smile.”
Born on January 15, 1931, Jean grew up within the tight-knit Barbican group in Plymouth.
She found her love of performing early — even impressing teachers by singing in class nativity performs and impersonating stars such as Mae West.
Jean later carved out a profitable profession on display, showing in a variety of BBC dramas together with The Pickwick Papers, Jamaica Inn and youngsters’s collection MI High, alongside comedy legend June Whitfield.
She was additionally a well-known face in a number of collection of Doc Martin, starring reverse Martin Clunes.
Her last TV look got here on the age of 87 when she performed Ethel — a affected person who had fallen and pushed a rusty nail by means of her hand.
