Obituary - Jean Laikin

Jean Laikin

I would like to pay tribute to Jean Laikin, who died in her sleep on Sunday 15th January.

Jean was a feisty, energetic lady who never let the grass grow under her feet. She achieved much in her life which was good and positive, and made a difference to many other peoples lives when they came in contact with her. She was well-known for being a great organiser and Calpe will be poorer for losing her.

Jean was on the U3A committee meeting for many years, in fact she was a founding member of the Calpe branch, which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. Together with Jackie Johnson, (sadly no longer with us), she was responsible for its inception here, immediately carving her niche as travel organiser, with great and unique effectiveness. She did tremendous research into everything she organised, planning meticulously and working overtime on her computer, checking and booking hotels, coaches, places of interest to visit, restaurants, etc. She also researched the local history which she would relay to her coach load of passengers, often while travelling on the coach, which added much interest to the places visited. All this she did with great verve and panache, so one could not help being caught up in the enthusiasm she always conveyed, when telling us about the exciting places we would visit.

I went on many of these trips over the last 10 years, sometimes for 4-5 days, occasionally a week, to various parts of Spain and once to Morocco and without exception thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Inevitably things went wrong at times, not through Jean's fault. Hotels overbooked, museums closed, bus breakdowns, but these mishaps contributed to the colourful, “conversation sagas”, related and embellished at mealtimes, evoking lots of laughter.

Talking of laughter, how well I remember Jean's. She could be heard at the dinner table all over the place, however large and never held back, so infectious that it got us all laughing. She loved her tipple, wine, whisky, gin, it sure got her going, and why not? Jean Laikin was a "one-off", there was no one like her. We who knew her well will always remember her with affection. The majority of Brits in Calpe knew her, as well as many Spanish, Germans and other nationalities. Jean died in her sleep, what a perfect way to go. Our condolences go to Norman, and the rest of her family. She will be greatly missed.

A memorial service for Jean is now being held in the Casa de Cultura (auditorium) at 12.00 immediately after the U3A General Meeting on the 16th of February.

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