Description Born in 1925 and educated at Reichesbeuern boarding school in Germany, Vera Maria Gablenz-Thuerheim married Reverend John Ryecart, an RAF chaplain in 1949 and gave birth to two sons before her husband was appointed Anglican chaplain and mission to seafarers in Israel.
Embracing the cosmopolitan lifestyle, her close friendships in Israel helped her gain a deeper understanding of Palestinian issues and an empathy for the Palestinian quest for justice, dignity and fre.