Tributes to Jean as Torbay's red-hatted ladies bid farewell to their 'magical queen'
TRIBUTES have been paid to 'Queenie' Jean Rogers, founder of the Torbay Red Hat Society.
Jean, from Shiphay, was praised for her sparkling character at her service of celebration at Torquay crematorium on Tuesday.
Jean (pictured) had recently become a grandma to baby Hollie Jai. She died aged 62 after a recent diagnosis for cancer.
Her red-hatted ladies from the Riviera Royals, the chapter that she founded in 2007, were among the congregation and wore their trademark red and purple in her memory.
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Her husband, Paul, said she loved and cared for everybody she met.
He spoke of how in 1982, Jean was voted the Herald Express super mum of the year and later foreign student best host mum of the year.
Paul said: "We had love and fun from the first day until the last day."
Jean was a royalist and often draped bunting around her home.
Her coffin was covered in the union flag and the national anthem, without words, was played at the end of the service.
Jean ended her career as a community enabler for Scope and volunteered for the Samaritans.
She also leaves a son Leon and daughter Zoe.
Jean was known for her zest for life and sense of humour.
She was inspired to create the Riviera Royals by her sister-in-law who was queen of a chapter in California.
There are no rules, apart from the dress code which insists that women over the age of 50 wear a red hat and purple clothes, while women under the age of 50 wear pink hats and lilac or lavender outfits.
Dominique Gazard, new Queen of the Riviera Royals, paid tribute to 'magical queen Jean'.
She said: "Jean's beautiful soul, huge heart and personality, joie de vivre and wonderful eccentricity has changed the lives and touched the hearts of everyone who had the fortune of knowing her."
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