She was our Mum, and all through our lives, as long as she was able, she nourished us, nursed us, cared for us and gave us a light to steer our lives by. From our youngest days we lived borne up by our parents’ love, knowing always that they would not let us down. It was not until later years that I came to see that it was not this way for everyone, how lucky we had been and how thankful we should be. I’m grateful that we got the chance to tell her so in her final days, and hopefully in her latter years to reflect back some of the care and love our Mum had always shown to us. She lived a long and happy life, weathering the storms life brings with cheerfulness and amazing resilience. Though life took her far from her Hereford roots, she was a frequent visitor to her beloved family there, and returned there in retirement with her devoted husband to spend many happy years with him, living in the rural peace of their countryside home, delighting in the visits of her brothers and sisters, her children, and their children in turn. Even once retired, she made use of her skills as a librarian, at Hereford Art College and elsewhere. The tokens of the Art College students’ regard decorated her home. When illness came and tried to take her away from us piece by piece, memory faded and life was lived from moment to moment, the kindness and consideration that she overflowed with all her life still shone through. As long as she could, she aimed to help the people around her and effortlessly gathered the love and esteem of everyone who came to know her. From her days delivering meals and books with the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service, to helping distribute tea and biscuits at Carey Lodge, her final home, she was always ready to care and help. She had a kind word for the parent of any child she met, and a compliment for the owner of every cat or dog. If she felt she could make someone feel better about themselves, she would; and it was a rare occasion that she had a harsh word for anybody – if she did, they surely deserved it.. There is no way to bundle up in a few written words the sparkle she added to our happy times, and the comfort she brought to our sorrows. Her courage in adversity must be our example in the sorrow of her loss, that and the knowledge that her light is remembered and lives on in our hearts and all the hearts she touched.