Rosie May started her time at Bottesford Primary in 1996. Rosie May’s abilities to make friends. Her infectious smile couldn’t fail but to endear her to all she met, she formed a close circle of friends within her class that have endured throughout her time at school. The Rosie May maxim was “ If a job’s worth doing it’s worth doing well.” It was enough to drive most of us to distraction sometimes wondering if she would meet her own high standards but inevitably she always did.
Without doubt Rosie May’s outstanding talent was her ability to perform. She loved it best and we loved her for it. Dancing, singing or acting Rosie May shone. In particular her performance in the school Christmas musical of Hosanna Rock at St. Mary’s Church in Bottesford. Singing and dancing as an Angel will always stay with me, one small step on the road to greater things like the fabulous Dick Wittington at the Newark Palace Theatre that the whole school all enjoyed seeing her in at Christmas.
We know that Rosie May enjoyed her time at Primary school ( because she told us) She gave us some lovely memories and it is nice in a way that there is so much to celebrate in about her short life.
Rosie May loved life and we loved Rosie May for it.
Jake Dolden. Yr 5 teacher. Bottesford Primary School.
Tribute for the life of Rosie May Storrie
The following tribute was read out at Rosie May’s funeral as a tribute to a very special little girl. Nicki had been Rosie May’s Dance and Drama Teacher for the last 7 years.
“ I have gone over and over what I am going to say today. I am sure that those of you who have already tried to put words together to talk about Rosie May, have already discovered that there aren’t actually any words that say enough. And I know that I am going to come away today feeling like I haven’t said enough. All because of the lovely, special little girl Rosie May was.
Apart from School and the time Rosie May spent with her family, the majority of her spare time was spent at dancing. Rosie May started Intro Ballet aged 3.5. She floated in like a little feather. At this time there were only 9 children in the dance school, Rosie May being the youngest. Within 2 years that group had moved on to Primary and they were soon ready for their first Ballet exam. This was also the first exam session I had held, so I was as nervous as they were. But Rosie May started as she meant to go on by achieving her first honours grade. Before long, she had taken up Modern, then Tap, Drama, Singing, Disco and of course the Scholarship class for exceptionally talented pupils. All in all Rosie May was with me on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening and she helped out on a Saturday morning. Rosie May had been with me for 7 years and within this time she had successfully passed 9 exams involving Dance and Drama, maintaining that high standard.
Rosie May was involved in our 99, 2000 and 2002 Dance School shows, which were performed at Newark Palace Theatre. Much to her delight, Rosie May was never asked to play the part of a boy because of her petite frame and due to her height was always on the front row. She had this shining ability to draw the attention of the audience her way. Our 2002 show was called “ A star in the making”. A lady in the audience quoted “ there’s a star in the making”, as she watched Rosie May perform on stage. At our very first show, Rosie May was in a Modern Dance and she was a Bluebird in a Ballet dance. With each year she seemed to get busier and busier. Any time she wasn’t on stage, she was in the wings doing a quick change into her next costume. The majority of this time she was along side her best friends Alice, Lucy and Roanna. I had a few of my friends helping in the wings at the last show and they couldn’t believe how organised and professional the girls were. Rosie May’s attitude towards performing, her unique style and ability to shine out influenced so many other pupils in the Dance School. In particular, the younger ones who all wanted to be her or to be just like her. She was the best little spotter I had ever taught. This is where you whip your head round when turning. I really feel like it should now be renamed “Rosie May” instead of spotting.
I haven’t really got any stories to tell about Rosie May, simply because she was always so well mannered and well behaved, just wanting to learn and perfect new steps. On one occasion, I caught her chatting to one of her friends, but when I asked her if it was about dance…of course it was! So that’s as far as it went.
All of this passion, enthusiasm, dedication and love of what she was doing was driven by her Mum and Dad’s support. Mary, was always the Mum who would have Rosie May where she needed to be, looking how she needed to look, encouraging her to have a go at new things. And Graham, the dad willing to sit through endless hours of show rehearsals with his camcorder or camera……often the only Dad sitting through rehearsals. Due to this encouragement and to Rosie May’s shining personality and ability she had just began to branch out on her own. The Newark pantomime being the most recent. At the audition, I knew she would be accepted out of the girls from my School, as she was the only one smiling and performing. Later Rosie May received the phone call offering her the part, which she modestly accepted. Only later, telling her Mum that she needed to be there at 3!
There is no doubt in my mind that one day a group of us would have been taking a trip to the West End to see Rosie May in whichever big hit Musical would be out at the time. She would have most definitely followed in the path of dancing, singing or acting. Knowing Rosie May, all three! But those of us fortunate enough to have known her, would know, that being that perfectionist, this would have been done to Rosie May’s highest standard, which of course we all know would be the highest standard.
At my wedding, Mum secretly asked some girls to be flower girls. On the day Bobby and I went under a beautiful arch of flowers held by the girls in their wonderful tutus. As we got further and further down the arch we had to crouch down to get through as the girls got smaller in height. Rosie May and Emily Wells who were the smallest were at the end of the arch. I now have even more reason to treasure my Wedding Album, as there are pictures of Rosie May looking beautiful and elegant in the Album.
I can’t express enough how talented Rosie May was and what a beautiful, lovely little girl she was both inside and out. It was an honour for me to be her Dance Teacher and it is an honour to be asked to talk about her today.
We love you Rosie May and we will never forget you.” xxxx
Nicki Sheridan - Rosie May's Dance and Drama Tutor 1996-2003
