THE former proprietor of a long-running family business in Bicester has died aged 84.

Jean Penhallow ran independent department shop The Handy Stores with her husband Brian, after taking it over from her parents Grace and William Cherry.

They had founded the Sheep Street shop in 1927 and their son, Howard Cherry, ran Cherrys Furniture Store in the same street with his children.

In her spare time Mrs Penhallow enjoyed painting and belonged to a number of groups, including the Bicester Choral and Operatic Society and the Shelswell parishes choir, and she was a founding member of Bicester Ladies Circle.

Her later years also saw her become an active member of the women’s institute in Stoke Lyne, where she had lived with her husband for 38 years.

She was born Jean Cherry on February 21, 1931, in Bicester. She grew up in the town and was a pupil at Crockwell Primary School, as well as Bicester Grammar School.

Aged 16 she went to Marlborough Secretarial College, one of the oldest secretarial colleges in Britain, and afterwards took a job as a secretary with Alfred Truman Solicitors in Bicester.

In 1950, she joined her parents’ business and came to work at The Handy Stores.

Miss Cherry met Mr Penhallow when he was doing national service at RAF Bicester in 1953.

The couple encountered each other at a dance organised by the Young Conservatives Association in the summer.

Mr Penhallow asked to see the young Miss Cherry again and they were married three years later in St Edburgs Church, Bicester, on July 19. They had three children, Jane, Miles and Lucy.

Initially the couple moved to Buckhurst Hill, in Essex, where Mr Penhallow worked for Barclays Bank, but in 1958 he decided to join his wife’s family’s business and they moved back to Bicester.

Together they took over the management of the store, which was the largest independent department store in the town.

They ran it until they decided to retire in 2001 and lease the property to the current occupier, Bicester Toys.

During their retirement the couple took the opportunity to travel, holidaying in Spain several times, as well as Devon and Cornwall.

Mrs Penhallow died suddenly on June 9, while on holiday in Cornwall.

She leaves behind her husband, her sister Pat Cherry, her three children and eight grandchildren.

A funeral will be held at 11am on Monday, June 22, at St Peter’s Church, in Stoke Lyne.

All our welcome to attend, family flowers only.