The death of Her Majesty the Queen in September may turn out to be the defining event for the country in 2022.

But the year has also seen the loss of people who shaped the lives of the communities they lived in, or whose achievements or personalities live on.

Here, we look back at some of the people whose lives we have celebrated in the Romford Recorder this year:

Romford Recorder: Isla with her mother, Nicola, and father, Michael. Image: Ken MearsIsla with her mother, Nicola, and father, Michael. Image: Ken Mears (Image: Image: Ken Mears)

Isla Caton's mother said her daughter could go pain-free and “have a childhood again in heaven” after her death early in the year.

Nicola Caton of Hornchurch spoke adoringly of her “happy, contented little girl” after seven-year-old Isla, who suffered from neuroblastoma cancer for much of her childhood, died on Tuesday, January 25.

A fund set up in her memory continues to raise money to find a cure for the disease.

Romford Recorder: Tyler Hurley (inset) died after being stabbed on a bus in Chadwell Heath (Image: Met Police/Paul Claydon/Romford BC)Tyler Hurley (inset) died after being stabbed on a bus in Chadwell Heath (Image: Met Police/Paul Claydon/Romford BC) (Image: Met Police/Paul Claydon/Romford BC)

In March the school of Tyler Hurley paid tribute to the “charismatic and charming young man”, who died after being stabbed on a bus in Chadwell Heath.

Anita Johnson, headteacher at Loxford School Trust, and Jennifer Ashe, headteacher at The Warren School in Whalebone Lane South, Dagenham, said pupils were “grief stricken”.

Tyler Hurley was a talented footballer and former member of the Romford Boxing Club who was working hard towards his GCSEs.

The 16-year-old was injured in High Road, Chadwell Heath, just before 4pm on Monday - March 14 - and taken to hospital, but he died the following day.

An 18-year-old man was arrested nearby on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody after later being further arrested on suspicion of murder.

Romford Recorder: Bob with some of his work from an exhibition he did at Havering Museum, in 2019

Artist Robert Bryan, whose skills ranged from painting to bagpipe-making, died aged 72 on April 14.

Remembered for his kind and generous nature as much as his extensive body of work, east London-born Bob started out as a junior in a West End commercial art studio before studying at Chelsea's Sir John Cass and London Central Art schools.

He later worked his way up to becoming owner and partner of a creative studio in Bleeding Heart Yard, Clerkenwell, where he worked with clients including Saatchi and Saatchi, English Heritage, NatWest, Orange and Disney.

Romford Recorder: Joyce Evelyn Porter. (Image: Abby Leader)Joyce Evelyn Porter. (Image: Abby Leader) (Image: Abby Leader)

A Harold Hill great-great-great-grandmother, who spent nearly three decades working on the London transport system, died aged 99 in April.

Joyce Evelyn Porter (nee Manning) was born on September 12, 1922, in Bethnal Green, but spent most of her life in Harold Hill.

The youngest of 13 children, she married her husband Frederick Verne Porter in April 1940 during his home leave. The two worked together for 28 years as a conductor and bus driver respectively for London Transport respectively.

The Beauty Queen, who at one stage was at the head of six generations of her family, even got an invite to the Queen’s Garden Party one year due to Fred’s army service, and met William and Kate.

Romford Recorder: Loving father Emmanuel Odunlami was stabbed to death in central LondonLoving father Emmanuel Odunlami was stabbed to death in central London (Image: City of London Police)

The family of Emmanuel Odunlami paid tribute to the "loving father" after he was stabbed to death in a central London street on May 1.

Emmanuel was found in Gresham Street suffering from a stab wound at 11.30pm on May 1. Police carried out CPR at the scene but the 32-year-old later died in hospital.

In a statement, his family described him as a "loving father, fiancé, son, brother, family member and friend who was unjustly taken ahead of his time".

Jordell Menzies, of Tennyson Road in Queen's Park, and Quincy Ffrench-Yethman, of Foyle Road in Tottenham, have been charged with his murder. A trial date has been provisionally set for March 2023.

Romford Recorder: Jeffrey Ellis (left) with children April, Rachel and Michael (Image: courtesy of Jeffrey Ellis' family)Jeffrey Ellis (left) with children April, Rachel and Michael (Image: courtesy of Jeffrey Ellis' family) (Image: courtesy of Jeffrey Ellis' family)

A street in Dagenham was lined with mourners for the funeral of Jeffrey Ellis in June.

Mr Ellis, 62, had been a florist in the town for more than 20 years, most recently at Danny's Florist in Oxlow Lane.

Previously a conductor and bus driver, Jeffrey had grown up in Dagenham before moving to Barking and then Romford.

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