In memory of Marion Hancock

An image of Marian HancockWe are very sad to report the recent death of Marion Hancock, who worked at LSE for many years over the last three decades, in various roles across Student Services including in Undergraduate Registry, in Financial Support and in the Student Services Advice and Reception team. She was a key part of the move from Connaught House to the brand new Student Services Centre in 2001, supporting staff and students to settle into the new premises and routines. Her support for LSE students at times of crisis or in difficulty was recognised by so many people across LSE and had many positive outcomes for our students. Her calm and considered advice for staff across the institution was highly valued. Her attention to detail was well known, but this never affected her ability to care.

Marion left LSE a few years ago and was finally able to indulge her life-long passion for gardening in her work in Kent at a local garden centre, after a post in a hospice charity shop. She successfully dealt with pancreatic cancer a couple of years ago and her death in March 2023 at 63 was unexpected.

She is sadly missed by her friends, her family in Wales and by her husband Chris. If anyone would like to pass their condolences to Marion’s family, please contact Patricia Lawrence (p.lawrence@lse.ac.uk).

We send our condolences to Chris and Marion’s family and friends.

Samantha Jordan

It is with great sadness that we announce the tragically early passing of our dear colleague Samantha Jordan. Aged just 46, Samantha passed away recently after a brief period of illness, and her loss has left us all in deep shock.

Samantha was a wonderful colleague and human being. She held various roles within ARD (TQARO and Graduate Admissions) in previous years, before being appointed as a Registry Assistant within Student Services in June 2015, where we got to know her warm personality, and were able to appreciate her many qualities.

Samantha was a generous colleague, always ready to help the team at any given opportunity. She was also extremely patient and helpful with the School’s students, often going the extra mile to accommodate their requests, and doing so with kindness and a smile. She always behaved with enormous empathy towards students, especially when they were experiencing times of stress, and they frequently showed great appreciation for her help and support, offering thanks and positive feedback for her work with them.

Samantha was an avid reader and an enthusiastic art lover, and the absence of her great sense of humour and witty comments in the department will be keenly felt. LSE’s Academic Registrar Mark Thomson has spoken for us all in remembering Samantha especially “for her warmth, kindness, humour and intelligence.”

On behalf of the School, we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Samantha’s parents, family and friends, and to let them know that she will be sorely missed.

Cheryl Edwardes, Deputy Head of Student Services