William Paterson Jelley

William Paterson Jelley was born 6th July 1935 in Durban (South Africa) and died Ohope (New Zealand) 15th January 2009, aged 731/2 years.His passing was sudden and unexpected. However, his legacy lives on in his two grandchildren, Courtney Sacha and Brendan Vaughan Jelley.Bill was christened with his parent's names - Cecil William Gordon Jelley, born Qumbo, Transkei 11th October 1898 (and died 23rd June 1977) and his mother Mary McRobert Paterson, born Isipingo 1905 (and died 13th November 1943 - aged 38). His father then married spinster Joyce Pamela Deeves.Bill had an elder brother, Brian, born on 11th March 1932, who outlived his younger brother. Brian passed away in Harare, Zimbabwe on 23 March 2014.Early childhood was spent in the Transkei where his father managed a Trading Store at Glenhope. The family then moved to Orange Grove, Johannesburg, where Cecil Jelley, known as Gordon or "Poppa Jel", secured employment with African Explosives. In 1937, the firm transferred the family from Johannesburg to Salisbury, Rhodesia. Bill started his schooling at the Convent School, and then went on to do his Standard 1 to Standard 4 at David Livingstone. Because the school did not have a standard 5, he then completed his junior schooling at Blakiston - named after a hero of the Mazoe Patrol. High Schooling, at Prince Edward, was completed to Form 3 General School Certificate level in 1951.Bill joined the Royal Rhodesian Air Force as a Short Service Unit pilot (No 6 SSU), in March 1954, and commenced flying training at Cranbourne airfield, Salisbury on Tiger Moth aircraft.Bill Jelley commanded No's 2 and 4 Squadron, Royal Rhodesian Air Force, Thornhill, Gwelo. He commanded Flying Wing New Sarum, Salisbury, where No's 3, 5, 7 and 8 Squadrons were based. He ferried Provost aircraft from the United Kingdom to Rhodesia, attended Staff Course in South Africa and was decorated by the President of Rhodesia for Meritorious service to the Air Force. Bill served the Air Force, and his country, with distinction.Upon retiring he flew a variety of aircraft commercially in the corporate sector.He was an Officer and Gentleman in the true sense of the word - right up to the day of his passing.MarJel moved to the Ohope care centre and some years later to the Kerikeri Old Age Home, where she passed away on her 84th birthday, 16 December 2019. Jean Jelley (her daughter-in-law) was at her bedside when Marjel passed away.