Christine Marie Gill

Photos of Christine at Michael Mythen’s 50th birthday party at St James Park in August 2007

I met Christine through my then girlfriend, now my wife, Anne Graney. Christine always seemed to have plenty going on in her life, parties, holidays trips away and social events galore. She spent a lot of this time with her good friend Jill and I nicknamed them ‘the good time girls’ It seemed Christine’s life was like a party , but like every good party there comes a time to leave. Remembering that smile and the jokes. See you on the other side Christine.

I met Christine playing squash at TynemouthSquash club in the early 2,000s and we immediately got on as we had many shared interests. Christine was always interested in so many things and she had a great sense of fun and adventure. We shared many a lovely meal and bottle of wine at each others houses and she went out to our house in Corfu with a friend. I was so sad to hear she had passed away; I didn’t know about her latest diagnosis. I will remember Christine so fondly as a thoughtful, passionate, loyal friend who was always glamorous and loved her family deeply.
I feel as if I know Rosie, Tom, Joe, Hannah and Katherine as she always talked about you so fondly. I didn’t meet you Mal, (though I worked at the same place as you), but I know you made Christine very happy.
She will be so missed. My thoughts are with you all at this sad time.
Ruth xxxx

So many memories of Christine are bubbling up at this sad time in all our lives.

My favourite and most enduring memory has to be when I stayed with her in her flat in Howden for a few months back around 1996 ... during some disaster or other in my life.

I remember how the bath plug didn't quite fit, Christine informed me that I just had to keep topping the bath up with hot water... I bought her a new plug...

Then there was the front of the cutlery drawer that used to fall off, the pots with no handles and the tin tray I used to knock over every time I unplugged the kettle, oh... and the pedal bin lid used to clang against the wall...

One way or another, I used to wake her up early every morning... she put up with me though... (it was all down to my being 'ergonomically challenged" you see...) We did laugh about it though... eventually... and then more and more over the years.

Time moves on, I moved away, but we stayed in touch.

When I last saw Christine in September, she took me to her lovely little house to show me what she had done with her garden, all perfectly designed and perfectly Christine ... truly lovely ... I was so pleased she had it all just how she wanted that I had to hold back my tears.

I will miss Christine's forthrightness, honesty and generosity. I hope I was as good a friend to her as she was to me over the years.

Sleep tight lovely lady.

This was your special song which I sang to you when I said goodbye

Christine, the strawberry girl
Christine, banana split lady
Christine, the strawberry girl
Christine, banana split lady

Loved you, often with disagreements but always good friends love Vee xxxx

‘There are stars whose radiance is visible on Earth
though they have long been extinct.
There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world
even though they are no longer among the living’
(Hannah Szenes).

I’ve discovered so many things about Christine since she died. I knew that she had a habit of taking copious notes: I’d seen the notebooks, but never found time to read them all. What I hadn’t realised until I read them was how thorough Christine was about documenting her life and keeping track of significant happenings and events, especially those involving people that she knew and loved. For example, there’s a 2016 diary full of outings and meetings with family and friends; many journals detailing day-to-day reflections on adventure holidays, both far and near; copious notes documenting the many health challenges that Christine faced; and lists, there are lists of shared cultural events, such as theatrical productions, operas, movies, musical performances and art exhibitions.

I came away from reading these journals and diaries thinking This is not someone who drifts through life. This is someone who has taken full charge of the life that she’s been given. Someone determined to make the most of it. Someone who, in the most generous way imaginable, wants to make a difference. We need look no further than all the stories posted on this memorial website to know that she made a difference in our lives and those of many others.

Szenes’ poem speaks of the fragility of life and of the illusion of permanence. It might give us cause to question what we understand to be ’real’ or what we think of as the ‘here and now’. The poem does not end there, it goes on to speak of resilience and hope in the face of hardship.

‘Those lights are particularly bright
when the darkness of despair deepens.
They are the nourishment and the strength,
the solace and the courage,
we need to continue in the present’.

Christine and I used to joke that if our paths had crossed earlier in life, so different were we back then that we would never have come to know each other. Luckily, we met relatively late in life. A virtual friendship started on Match.com grew into a lasting partnership. Such was our relationship that neither of us could imagine our lives without the other. There were good times filled with brightness and joy, and there were challenges that we faced together.

Christine knew better than most that every day is a blessing, not to be wasted, and that every life experience and every person is precious, not to be forgotten. Still, it takes an enormous amount of courage and inner strength to live your life to the full knowing how and when it will come to an end. In those last few weeks, from all of you – our wonderfully supportive families and steadfast friends, Christine’s loyal work colleagues and intrepid travel companions – came extraordinary acts of generosity, compassion and kindness. Your deeds, thoughts, prayers and meditations lightened our hearts and gave strength to Christine.

Not long before Christine went into the hospice, she made what for her were two epic journeys: The Lake District that for so long challenged and inspired her; and Sheffield where, dressed in all her hiking gear, she took her last short walk. So loved was Christine and so at peace was her heart that when she passed away on Christmas Day morning, it was as if she had simply decided to take a final stroll across the heather. I imagine her now, head tossed back with that irresistible smile, bound for another great adventure.

Christine, from your journals and diaries and the stories being told among family and friends, every day, I come to know you a little more. You are the most extraordinarily beautiful and courageous person that I’ve ever known. I love you with all my heart. Your light shines so brightly now that for us all, it is the nourishment and the strength that we need to continue in the present.

Where to now Christine?

Hi I’m Kathy , i have been friends with Christine since 1994 . I met Christine through Jill and she was an instant friend . Christine was strong . Very funny , so sophisticated ( she knew what suited her ) beautiful and true to her beliefs . She has been a constant friend through the ups and downs of life and my fondest memories are many salsa nights ( she had very good rythmn ) a brilliant adventure at Patricia’s and Paulo’s wedding in Portugal and our trip to York just before her first diagnosis . She’s been a true friend ,Christine really cared about spending quality time with her friends and had a very busy diary . She always told me what her nieces and nephews were up to and I know she was incredibly proud of all of them .
I have a-lot of photos of her ( she was very photogenic) mainly prints
I’ve been very lucky to have known her for the last 20 plus years .she truely lived her life to the full . We definitely had a good laugh and some great times.
I was lucky to have spent a lovely time with her in the summer at our spa weekend and more recently as well , My deepest condolences to Kathryn Michael malli and her Rosie Tom Hannah and Jo.

We met Christine when we moved in next-door to her about 14 years ago. She was so welcoming and we soon realised we had much in common; pilates, music, film, gardening... We kept in contact with many walks and cafe dates. She was so warm, generous, and supportive of our little family. She will be hugely missed. Sending our love to Malli, Michael and all of her family. Alison and Matt x

John and I met Christine a few years ago with the Walking Group, unfortunately I was not able to continue with the group due to my own health issues. John is still a very active member and has been able to keep in touch with those who have known and loved Christine. We both have such lovely memories of walking together, talking and sharing our thoughts, dreams and hopes for the future. She was one very special lady, with a beautiful smile, she was so gentle and always interested to know about others.
Rest in peace Christine, you will always have a special place in our hearts. Xxxx

I first met Christine in early 2001 through Pete (Mogridge) a mutual friend. After a few parties and meals out, Christine moved into my flat in December 2001 and our friendship was established. This move allowed her to sell her flat and buy her forever home in Gosforth in July 2002.
I joined Christine, Jill, Pete, Bev and Graham to celebrate New Year in Scotland (2002-2003). We stayed at An Cladach, North Connell, near Oban. I’ve attached photos from that holiday. A mixture of walking, building a bonfire on the private beach for our Hogmanay celebrations, a meal out on 31st and a Murder Mystery dinner at home, I think 1st January 2003. (I’ve also attached photos from a flat meal out, Pete and Dave’s wedding and Pete’s 60th birthday) Christine looks the same in them all!
Going through my diaries and boxes, I’ve found cards from Christine, which I’ve kept. One, being a handmade Christmas card of Prague’s bridges.
I can concur with Christine’s love of scones and we’ve shared many coffee shop experiences, the last being to The Traders on 31st October 2025. I also agree with her determination, as although it was evident that getting ready was an effort for her, Christine still wanted to go and wouldn’t compromise on the venue. We enjoyed coffee and yes, a scone. Christine was even planning our next catch up venue. Sadly that wasn’t to be.
It is evident that Christine’s life has touched so many people and has left so many memories, with me and all her friends and family. The care and dedication she gave to the families she looked after should also not go unnoticed too. A former colleague told me recently that ‘Christine was an incredibly hard worker, who always put the families first’. I was able to share this message with Christine.

You may no longer be with us but you will never to be forgotten.

Rest in peace Christine

With love
Ann Geddes xx

So many memories of my friendship with Christine. We first met while working on paediatrics at the RVI Newcastle in 86/87 and realised we both played squash. Christine soon became much better than me, had lessons and joined the Tynemouth squash club!
Over of almost 40 years of friendship we shared so many holidays together, from sleeping on greek beaches and monastery cells whose walls were covered in mosquitos when good humour and sundowners got us through, to travelling further afield. Borneo, Malaysia, Kerala, Vietnam, lots of Europe including Italy which was a country Christine loved. Opera in Venice was a must for her. Walking the Tour de Mount Blanc and also some of the Camino de Santiago were other highlights. Much of the Camino was completed in sandals rather than boots due to Christine having massive blisters that had to be treated with honey plasters every evening. Christines determination to complete it showed me how strong a person she was and how she overcame so many challenges in life, by having a plan and putting it into action. Her strength if character and determination were so apparent in recent months and shone through this recent illness, doing as much as she could for as long as she could. it was a privilege to be with Christine on her final trip to the lake district in November with Mali and Kathy. Precious times and precious memories. I will miss you my dear friend. Xxx

It’s taken me a while to sort through my photos taken with Christine as there were so many!
I’ve posted just a tiny few to give a flavour of our friendship over the last 25 years or so

We met through our mutual friend Sue Rose ( Welsh), when they worked together in a GP practice in Heaton

We kept seeing each other at events and nights out arranged by Sue, including her own wedding to Ian
Christine and I then started seeing each other a bit more regularly - we both lived in Gosforth and had a shared love of Martin Stephenson and the Daintees, cheese scones and good wholesome politics. We were both Guardian readers and loved film, books and music – although our tastes were often chalk and cheese
She loved Downton Abbey. I hated it. She despaired of my love of The Smiths. I don’t love folk music

However, Christine and I were good Tyneside cinema buddies, went to several book readings, cookery workshops & comedy nights together and she tended to come to me for supper on a regular basis for homemade veggie suppers. This continued throughout this Autumn even after her recent diagnosis. I would normally let her go through my fridge so she could tell me what she wanted me to cook. It was always a bit thrown together but we had many tasty suppers and despite saying she couldn’t have alcohol, she always seemed to manage a sneaky glass of wine over an old episode of Sex in the City

She joined me on several holidays getting to know some of my friends well over the years and of course, got to know my family - especially my girls Polly & Phoebe and their Dad Roger. Christine was kind to Margo when she came to live with us from Kyiv four years ago and Christine was even a fond friend of our wee Westie dog Monty, despite her normal aversion to anything with four legs!

We had many weekends away and memorable trips to Nice, Dubrovnik, Paris, The Lake District, my 40th in a French rock stars mansion in La Vendee plus many nights at my cottage in Northumberland with lots of beach walks, pub and grub sessions and garden BBQs

One of her last night’s away from home was spent with Mali and I in Northumberland and surprisingly she managed & enjoyed a short walk on Beadnell Beach. This was the last time, Christine tasted the sea air.
That was just back in November
Our thoughts are with Mali, Katherine, Michael and the Gill family x
Rest in peace Christine x

With love Fiona, Roger, Polly, Phoebe and Margo
X

I met Christine in 1988 at the University of Northumbria, known then as a Polytechnic. After completing our Health Visiting Studies in 1989, we seized the chance to embark on our first great adventure together beyond Europe. We travelled to Kenya to visit our friend Jill, who was working in Sudan, and it proved to be an unforgettable experience.

We were young, carefree, and eager to explore the world. Despite Christine’s fear of creepy crawlies and certain animals, she embraced every challenge with remarkable courage and good humour. She coped with living in a house without a single glass window, safari camping on a very basic tent, and even camel riding through the Egyptian desert. There are countless stories from that journey—far too many to tell here—but they remain cherished memories.

The favourite soundtrack as we travelled was Bill Withers’ Lovely Day, a song that still brings those moments vividly to mind. That trip marked Christine’s first big adventure, and she was fortunate to enjoy many more throughout her life. She will always be remembered for her spirit of adventure and the joy she brought to those who shared the journey and her love of the great outdoors.

Rest in Peace, Christine. X

Christine had a passion for singing and together with Anne and Sue sang as fellow sopranos of both Inspiration and Sing United choirs for over 8 years. We shared the pews in rehearsals each week, always leaving feeling uplifted, and made many other friends within these singing communities. We shared the nerves and then the pride and thrills of public performances on the magnificent stage at The Sage alongside the Royal Northern Sinfonia Orchestra with Inspiration Choir. From 2021 we performed at Durham Cathedral, Lindisfarne Castle, Alnwick Garden, Biscuit Factory, Discovery Museum, Newcastle quayside and many other venues throughout the North east with Sing United whilst also raising money for north east charities.
Jill encouraged our impromptu rehearsals and supported all our performances from the audience along with Malli and our families and friends. The choir was incredibly important to Christine to the end - during her illness it provided a welcome routine and positive distraction and focus. She was practicing her words for the last winter performance as her health declined and then sang along with the choir from the audience in November -this sadly turned out to be her last outing. She continued to listen to recordings on her phone and sang along during our various visits at St Oswald's Hospice. We are singing one of her favourite songs from our Sing United performances - “The Parting Glass” at the requiem mass, joined by friends from both choirs. Enjoy your heavenly choir Christine ❤️💚🎶xxx

Christine, Anne, Jill and Sue came together in 1990 initially through our professional networks. We soon discovered shared loves of walking, the outdoors, travel, gardening, good food, theatre, books, music, politics and, above all, good craic. These bonds led to decades of cottage breaks, Hogmanays, creativity, laughter and mutual support.

In 2006, Christine named us the “Crafty Ladies,” a title that carried almost 20years of joyful creative adventures, fuelled by scones, mince pies and good wine. Christine especially loved Christmas florals, card making, ceramics, printing and woodland foraging.

Through celebrations, retirements, COVID beach gatherings and Christine’s later illness, her warmth, imagination and determination kept us together. Christine will always be with us—remembered, toasted and dearly loved.

With love,
Jill, Anne and Sue XX ❤️

So saddened to here of Christine's passing. We got to know each other as friends from the early 2000s onwards. Such a kind, generous and thoughtful woman. I was always amazed how she remembered so much about what was going on for other people. It came from a deep and genuine care for those that mattered to her. Highly conscientious in her professional role with a great zest to live life to the full. Rest in peace Christine!

Christine was the senior Health Visitor at Killingworth when I joined the team. She welcomed me and introduced me to the Health centre team and helped me settle in. I had not long moved with my teenage son from Devon to Whitley Bay. Christine and I were both experienced practitioners who liked things done properly! We sometimes approached challenges in different ways but we enjoyed working together and became friends, I was touched when I was invited to her 50th birthday party. Christine was so full of energy in everything she did, both at work and play. I loved hearing her tales of her latest hiking weekend or the wonderful holiday experiences with her much loved friends.
I'll miss meeting for lunch and swapping our latest news, all whilst putting the NHS and the world to rights!
Rest in peace my friend.

Remembering Christine today, her 65th birthday, and sending much love to Malli, Michael, Kathryn, Jill and all family and friends thinking of her. What a sad kind of joy to read these tributes and how much she meant to people, how much she was loved.

I met Christine around 1992 when she lived in Grosvenor Gardens and I moved back to the North East after two years in Spain. We shared a love of movies, cocktails in rooftop bars and sunny trips away. She, Jill and I had a wonderful Easter week in Andalusia, watching the amazing processions in Cordoba, Sevilla and Granada. Young and foolish, we hadn't booked ahead for the Alhambra so the only way in was the early morning queue. For the only time in my life I was first in a queue! Such a pleasure to be able to share those fabulous gardens with her and Jill.

Among other memories there was a freezing long weekend in Amsterdam, riotous Magaluf, the New York trip for her big birthday, and a fair few weekends at Red Lion Cottages in Cotherstone near Barnard Castle where six of us would get together to put the world to rights. She ticked a Eurostar trip off her list when we had a Brussels long weekend in November 2024, laughing most of the time. She picked the hotel near the Botanic Gardens, and we were almost locked in there, after cutting back through at dusk. We also joked that we were nearly 'kidnapped' by the hop on/hop off bus driver as he'd finished his shift but said he'd drop us off anyway near our hotel. We made it off the bus, ready for more chocolate shops, mussels and a G&T later that evening. Always a story to share, a photo of Christine smiling.

Others have already described her so eloquently, what she loved and what made her 'Christine'. She will be so missed. Here's to you, Christine. Buen camino.

I first met Christine in September 1984 when we started our paediatric nurse training at Great Ormond Street. In the photo of our set she is second from the right on the back row. After training we went our separate ways, but I reconnected with her through our mutual friend Anne Graney. We saw each other regularly through this mutual friendship and through our work as health visitors in the community. I remember her commitment to her profession and the families she worked with, and of her many interests in life such as travelling, gardening, music and the arts. She will be missed.

I shared a house with Christine in Fenham for approximately 5 years in the 80’s. We got to know each other very well in that time and Christine held very strong moral, political and religious views which I enjoyed ‘discussing’ with her for many hours! She was great fun, with a charismatic personality and consequently our house became busy with a constant stream of her many friends. Christine had many layers, but I was always in awe of her constant catholic faith which gave her much comfort when she needed it. She was a regular squash player which was a great respite from her demanding community health visiting job. We shared the house with Sue and then Trish and we all think us living as housemates with Christine created so many good memories. I sadly last saw Christine in September but was lucky to enjoy some brief quality time with her. Sending love to her family and may she rest in peace x

I just want to follow up
My previous post with a funny little memory that Christine and I often recalled…we went with our lovely mutual friend Fiona, to the Melrose Book festival about 12 years ago. One of the speakers was Joanna Lumley, who we all wanted to see. Her talk was great, and after I wanted to buy her book and get in signed by Joanna, Christine queued up with me, and in a sea of Anoraks and waterproofs Christine and I stood out, well, we had packed smart and were off for cocktails! Joanna Lumley glanced up at us as we stood together when we got to the front of the table, and she said “gosh darlings you look Gorgeous” !!
Goodness knows how many times we have remembered that compliment and giggled about it. It’s a sweet memory and one I will always think of when I remember Christine. ❤️

Christine has been a dear friend since 2011 when we met at our mutual friend Fiona’s birthday celebration in France. We hit it off straight away, as most people do with Christine, as she was such an open and interesting person and interested in you. I soon discovered that she was also very kind and had a quick and lovely humour. Christine always asked after my children and when she met them, they really enjoyed her company, she was so easy to talk to, people opened up to Christine.
I will miss her support through my own personal challenges, our regular chats with coffee and of course scones, very much.

My house has little pressies dotted around so thoughtfully gifted to me by Christine over the years.
and then one final gift, when I saw Malli over the New year and he gave me a Christmas gift from Christine. That was bitter sweet, Christine, thinking of others when she was so desperately poorly herself.
Such a gracious heart and soul, who has left us far too soon.
I send my deepest sympathies to Christine’s family, Mali and treasured friends. Lots of love Jo, Amy and Henry.

Christine and my mam have been close friends since school, and so I saw her every few years growing up - either she'd come to stay with us in London or we'd visit her in Newcastle, and a few times she joined us on holidays walking in the North. Christine was a very lovely person, always very interested in others and was a good chat and fun to be around. I remember once as a teenager deciding what to study for Uni she rang me up out of the blue to give advice on what areas I could look into around Health Visiting/ mental health, as I was interested in those areas at the time - that was very kind of her.
I visited her a year ago in Newcastle for an afternoon whilst on a weekend with friends, and it was a highlight of a lovely weekend! We had a good chat and she was very engaging, generous and kind as always (offering that me and my friends could stay at hers if we didn't like our accommodation). I'm sad that was the last time I got to see her but I am very grateful for it. She will be very missed by the Quinceys xxx

We met Christine in 1999 on a walking holiday in the Alps. She was with her friends Jill and Judith and we walked for 10 days around Mont Blanc, from France into Switzerland, Italy and back into France. They were quite a team. They could talk; they could walk too even though they finished the walk with spotlessly clean white knee bandages.
Even though we were staying in mountain huts they went prepared to dress up, cocktail dresses and full make up one night I recall.

In the following 20 odd years we spent many New Year’s in cottages in Scotland and the Lake District. Snow, ice, blizzards, mist - no problem, you could always see Christine in her red jacket. Never anything but red.

Random memories: walking home one night on New Year’s Day about 4 o’clock in the morning coming from a ceilid on Arran hoping we could remember where the cottage was.
I think that was the year we played some ridiculous murder mystery game where Christine played a chorus girl and wore a sailors hat - I’ll keep looking for the photo though Christine might prefer I’d lost it.

Self catering in a cottage - Christine always cooked something special, usually something from the latest Ottolenghi cookbook. And how about this for a thoughtful present: on my 65th birthday she sent me an Ottolenghi hamper. Thank you Christine.

In 2005 a few of us drove around southern Morocco for two weeks. Our own road movie. Christine loved the sun and I think she also came to love the desert landscape and the ruined kasbahs. Any trepidation soon transformed into a sense of adventure. The photos show a typical Christine - laughing, smiling, well turned out and with an extensive wardrobe somehow contained in a small case. And always the first to be ready to start walking.

What a star!

I only met Christine 3 years ago when I joined Sing United. She was so welcoming. We have sung together in a few concerts over the last 3 years and watched the concert when neither of us were able to sing.
I have only known her as someone living life with cancer but her resilience and determination were so impressive. We had many chats about life and health as 2 ex health care professionals and I loved to hear her stories of places she had travelled to before cancer.
I return to Sing United next week and will sing out for her and remember her with love.

We haven’t known Christine for as long as most people.
We first met her at Malli’s Graduation when I was privileged to be invited to attend and then Barbara and I shared a celebratory meal with them.
We always found Christine to be a kind and caring person and together with Malli ( my nephew) they made a lovely couple.

Christine was a joy to know and was exemplary when I arrived green and chaotic at uni
She met challenges cheerfully and logically and always had her life in order.
She was a loyal friend and remained curious about people and life.
Following uni she took all opportunities for professional development and travel, keeping her family and friends at the centre of everything she did.
She visited my family in Budapest with her friend Jill and it was lovely to catch up after a few years of living in different countries.
We visited her in her lovely garden soon after lockdown and it was wonderful to visit old haunts in Hull last year.
She met the challenges of her illness with characteristic bravery and sense and it is so sad that she has had to suffer and leave us at the end of her struggle.
She will live on in our hearts and memories.
I am thinking particularly of Mali and Michael at this difficult time and hope that Kathryn's health improves soon.
X Kate Higham and family

Christine was the first person I met when I started work as a health visitor in North Tyneside in the mid '90s. She contacted me, invited me to the offices in North Shields for a coffee and introduction to Nelson Health Centre. True to form, Christine exuded warmth, and spent time familiarising me with the office, introducing me to other community staff and generally being her usual thorough and organised self.
It's fair to say that Christine and myself are very different personalities, but we quickly became firm friends!
You don't often come across someone who throws herself 100% into everything they do. Christine never did anything half-hearted. She was also a dream come true for the professionals she came into contact with due to illness. She followed their advice and guidance to the letter. However, she also researched everything herself in great detail, so she certainly would keep them on their toes.
Christine has had a number of personal challenges over the years, and perhaps as a direct result, she has lived life to the maximum. You only had to mention wanting to go away somewhere and Christine would immediately suggest that we could go together, she would research travel options, and swiftly email the information through. As a result, we had a holiday in Corfu in 2016, then another in Malaga in 2022. I will never forget Christine, she was a very special person who never gave up on life, and I will miss her a great deal.

I met Chris as a colleague in North Tyneside. She was a HV and I was the named/designated nurse Child Protection.
child Protection was an emotionally challenging area of any HV’s caseload but Chris approached it with compassion, understanding and crucially, non-judgementally.

Looking at the photos included in this memorial I was struck by Chris’s beaming smile on all of them. She lived life to the full with many exciting holiday adventures. The tragedy is of a life cut short at such a young age.
Go well Chis

Bearing in mind how time distorts our memories and how partial our memories are, I can only offer a very small insight into my friendship with Christine and the complexity of who she was.
I met Christine in 1979 in the first weeks of our first year in University at Hull. She initially came across as an incredibly studious and anxious young person with a strong religious faith and a love of Newcastle. As the weeks turned into months Christine emerged as a fun loving and adventurous person. In the early days at Thwaite Hall Christine often talked about her sheltered upbringing and her limited experience of life. Over the four years at University she seemed to embrace the challenge that this presented and throughout her adult years seemed determined to fill the gaps with extensive travel and experience of other ideas and cultures. She never stood still. One notable holiday that she shared with my family revealed that she did not know how to swim. My mother set about teaching her.... in the sea. Unorthodox and brave she was willing to give it a go. She was never reluctant to tr new things but equally she had the strength of character to ditch things that were not working. She was offered a PhD place with Prof Jenny Boore at Ulster University. She gave it a go but decided it was not for her. I offered and I can't remember how or why this occurred to go and pick up her stuff in my small green ford fiesta and drive her back home to Newcastle. Looking back the trip was textured by the last vestiges of what is quaintly referred to as the 'Troubles' - an odd word for such violent sectarian conflict. The army looked under my car for devices with mirrors at the ferry terminal and my drive down the Falls Road, heavily etched with murals and graffiti, left you in no doubt about the recent violent and political landscape. Into this Christine had entered without it seemed to me much concern about her own personal safety. I was surprised at just how much stuff she had accumulated and was worried I would not get it all in the boot of my car. Christine had a massive collection of coat hangars which kept falling out of the boot and which she refused to leave behind. At her house in Newcastle I met her father and Uncle Norman and was able to vouch for the accuracy of the fond impressions she had given of them while we were at University. I cannot remember exactly why she left Ulster University but she was not someone who would put up with things if they were not working.
I kept in touch with Christine sporadically over the years, mostly by telephone (very very long calls) or if the occasion allowed in person. It was always clear to me that Christine made the most of the hand she had been dealt, she embraced life, latterly with a grim determination. She recounted stories of situations she had been in films and theatre, restaurants, galleries and exhibitions she had visited. The telling of these stories was always lyrical and dynamic, scaffolded by her Geordie accent and sayings. It is this essence that I will miss because it reflected her love of life and willingness to get stuck in.

Such sad news to hear.
I met Chris in 2001 when I started at the Child Protection Team at ARC. Not going to lie, she was a perfectionist who could NOT use a computer haha! I became her personal secretary as such and so fond of her, always with her lippy on and so smart and professional.
She would ring and say, Claire...I said just fax it down (FAX!!!) it down Christine and I'll sort you report out.
Bless her, she was one of a kind. Sending condolences to all her family and friends...another gone to soon.

We met at Thwaite Hall in Hull. The week before all the other students arrived. We were slim, excitable and not so worldly wise.
After 2 weeks in a hall with full catering we were all a stone heavier, calmer and being thrown into our medical and surgical wards with a rude awakening of the horrors of real life. With the help of snacks from Jacksons/Grand ways, left overs from tea downstairs conveniently below our rooms , cup a soups and endless walks around the gardens we bonded and survived. Who can forget going to Christine's room for an enticing coffee or tea made with dairy maid powdered milk.🤣
I remember being in awe of Christine on our first ward together. When asked about a diagnosis she piped up with congestive cardiac failure and gobsmacked the sister in charge. I just kept quiet thinking please don't ask me anything as I know nothing🤣.
Luckily we renewed our friendship after uni through posts on Facebook and zoom meetings in lockdown.
Our reunion in Hull was fantastic as Christine was well. We were in a holiday inn. It was like being back in Thwaite again. In and out of each other's rooms. I made biscuits and brought real milk. Perfect moments to treasure with a much loved friend. Sending love to Christine's family/friends. Xxxx

We met on holiday in Vietnam in 2018. We were a group of strangers who ended up having the best holiday ever. Not just because the country had so much to see and offer but because the people we shared the experience with. Christine and Jill were at the heart of our group. So many happy memories with this exceptional woman. The moment I met Christine I felt bonded to her. Always a beautiful smile to share. So many memories of the most wonderful holiday. You will be very missed beautiful Christine xxx

How to sum up such a wonderful friendship of 46 years?

Christine (aka “Cookie”) and I first met in 1979, at Hull University where we studied nursing with Liz, Cathy and Kate (The Hull Crowd). Christine and my birthdays both fall in January and we celebrated with a joint 21st in Hull in 1982 (a function room above a pub!). Christine’s choice of dress still caused her upset many years later; it was quite a strait-laced button up collar affair and she was mortified that she’d chosen such a frumpy style! She made up for that mistake through her glamorous style choices later on. Christine was known for her raucous laughter at times and Thwaite Halls long corridors amplified this laugh very effectively. We weren’t your average students, liking trips to Beverley and Bridlington and yes – scones!
Christine was incredibly neat and tidy, her room had nothing out of place and she was a very conscientious student, with copious note taking after each tutorial and lectures. Later on, she did (as we all did) wonder why our student years weren’t more impressively decadent and carefree (Kate excluded from this 😉).
Third year saw us rent a traditional terraced house. No health and safety regulations for HMOs implemented there. One inadequate bathroom, slug trails in the morning, blocked sinks and frozen toilets in the winter all adding to the character. There was even a maggot episode; this was an all-time low matched only by all our gas fires being deemed unsafe and unusable. These goings on were a far cry from the wonderfully exotic adventures and luxury spas that Christine later enjoyed and revelled in.
In October 2024, “The Hull Crowd” met up in Hull for a trip down memory lane and Christine was in great form and it was so good that we managed this time together again. I’ve lovely memories of meeting up with Christine over the years, latterly in Edinburgh and Dunkeld (some photos added to the gallery) and calling in to see her in Gosforth either to or from my parents in Greatham, Hartlepool. She was always so thoughtful in choosing things to see/places to eat and making the most of what she could do. She also arranged to send me Malli’s incredible art book when she knew I was taking some drawing lessons (a work in progress).

A few weeks ago I had sent Christine a card which included a quotation by Lemm Sissay (attached as a photo). She messaged me to say how much she loved this saying – she really tried to live this way, despite all the difficulties and obstacles she encountered. We will miss you Christine.

Special condolences and heartfelt thoughts to Malli, Kathryn and Tony, Michael and Jean, Tom, Rosie, Hannah and Jo.

1991 Christine placed an advert for a for a lodger on the hospital notice board. Needing accommodation for 6 months whilst in Newcastle I answered the add and moved in to her flat in Howden the following day. We shared a mutual love of scones and all things Italian. Fortunately for me it was the start of a long friendship with Christine. Many hours spent on video call in between visits to each other. We both developed an interest in Pilates. A Pilates retreat in Tuscany allowed us to indulge in several gelato. Another retreat in Cornwall followed,by a road trip around the Cornish coast where we research the scones everywhere we stopped. There will never be another Christine, she touched so many lives and will be missed by everyone who knew her.

My friend, Christine
I was lucky enough to meet Christine when I first joined Inspiration choir in 2017 - we bonded over our love of singing and our (well my) sometimes healthy cynicism over the more sentimental lyrics. Exactly the same age, and with many shared life experiences, as time went on we discovered we both also loved gardens and gardening - Christine taught me so much - good food and travelling (most of that done latterly by Christine, thank you for all the photos of near and far flung places).
Christine was always the most stylish person I know, with a zest for life completely undimmed despite all the challenges. I will remember you in so many places and in so many ways, rest in peace my friend x

I first encountered Christine as a student nurse when she was working as a health visitor in Newcastle's West End. Since then, our paths have crossed numerous times. We reconnected at the Go Forth walking group, where we enjoyed many memorable walks, sharing stories about life—and our mutual fear of cows! In recent years, we often took short strolls together, savoring scones and sipping Earl Grey. Throughout it all, she was a compassionate listener and a wonderful friend, and she will be dearly missed.

Fellow Health Visitor,skilled,knowledgeable, empathetic and a real smart dresser ! Such sad news, she'll be remembered by the many families and children she supported and the colleagues who had the privilege of working along side her R.I.P.my friend.

I remember Christine very well from her days at North Shields. She once told she was off to Italy on holiday as she knew I used to live there. She said she was actually going to visit my old home town Assisi Perugia. So I asked if she would take some stuff to my family over there She did that for me then ended up staying with my family over there having lunch in our home , my family Were so happy to meet her. I’m also told she happily left with a large jug of home made wine. I last saw Christine in Whitley bay a few years ago. So sad to hear this sad news. RIP

Christine was a enthusiastic member of our walking group. We've enjoyed so many beautiful walks together. She was terrified of cows. On one walk Brian and Alan Devlin had act as decoys to lead the cows away so Christine could escape, she hurriedly jumped over a gate to get out of the field....there was a lot of good humour and laughter. God bless.

I had the honour to meet Christine after she came to a Pilates class I was covering about 4 years ago. She continued after to come to my own classes and became a great support and friend to me after my own cancer diagnosis. She always put others first and had such a positive attitude to life. I am so grateful to have known her even for this short time. She will always have a place in my heart and I would like to send my deepest condolences to Malli, to her family and friends.