A ‘mother figure’ to countless Tavistock schoolchildren will be remembered with love at The Bedford Hotel next Friday evening, May 23.
Dawn Krotke ran The Green Hut in Tavistock's Meadows park for 15 years, where she was a non-judgemental listener and dispenser of sweets and wisdom to scores of youngsters.
A massive Liverpool supporter, she liked to chat all things football related and exchanged banter with young fans from rival teams.
She was there to listen and she didn’t judge.
Dawn died unexpectedly, aged just 65, just three weeks ago in the early hours of Friday, May 2, after falling ill at home just two days beforehand.
She was rushed into North Devon District Hospital, not far from where she was living in Braunton. She had contracted sepsis and her family were at her bedside when she passed away.
Dawn brought up her children Sebastian and Holly, now 38 and 36, as a single parent and in most recent years has been a devoted nana to three granddaughters Olivia, seven, Layla, six, and Isabelle, three.
Daughter-in-law Jade Krotke has been organising a memorial evening for Dawn at the Bedford Hotel and stresses that all are welcome – however long ago they knew Dawn.
Attendees are asked not to wear black, but instead to wear football shirts of their home team, or bright colours.
Jade said: “I think because it has been so sudden, everyone is in shock. It was out of the blue.”
She explained that Dawn, originally from Swansea in South Wales, lived at the Round House in Tavistock for more than 25 years where she also offered an open door to her children’s friends.
“They really treated her like a mother,” said Jade. “If anyone needed somewhere to stay, her door was always open, no questions asked.”
She was best-known for running The Green Hut, the tuck shop and cafe in the park.
“They called her Dame Dawn Theresa, they treated her like royalty. She was a real mother figure to the children and a much-respected friend to older people. She was approachable and non-judgemental, your secrets would stay safe with her.
“The Green Hut was a bit of a hub really for the youngsters and the older people throughout the week, and then on the weekend Dawn would be watching football somewhere. In The Green Hut she would fly the flag for Liverpool, especially if they had won their game.”
The community helped Dawn out when she had a house fire at the Round House and also when The Green Hut was burgled overnight back in 2015, with stock and takings stolen. The community raised funds in excess of £1,000 to replace everything.
This “really affected” Dawn, Jade said. “She had mothered everyone and looked out for them. All the runaways, she would send them back to school and then when The Hut was broken into, she asked, what is the point of me carrying on with The Hut now?”
After this, Dawn spent a ‘sabbatical’ year away from working and visited Tenerife, where Jade and Sebastian were then living. She then returned to Ilfracombe, to be near daughter Holly and son-in-law Chris. Most recently, Dawn had been working at the Saunton Sands Hotel in North Devon.
All those attending the memorial evening, which starts at 6.30pm, are invited to bring along photographs and to share memories. Donations can be made in Dawn’s memory to the Dogs Trust in Ilfracombe.
“Everyone is welcome, everyone is invited,’ said Jade. “The amount of messages we have had from people who knew Dawn is just unbelievable."
