Tributes are being paid to Mary Hawke, of Percival Street, for her dedicated approach to her work and the hours she spent getting to know her patients.

One of the babies she delivered was Diane Blood, who famously overturned a High Court ruling to use her late husband’s sperm to conceive her children.

”My mum introduced me to Mary and I used to see her around town. She was a very pleasant lady and always greeted me when she saw me,” she said.

Known to many as Nurse Hawke, Mary was born in Worksop and, and despite her love of travelling, always returned to her roots in the town.

She joined the Women’s RAF in 1941 and spent six years working in different locations across the UK, as well as out in Palestine.

Later, she sailed out to Australia where she nursed in several hospitals and travelled extensively before returning to Bassetlaw to work as a district midwife.

Her niece, Angela Hemingway, spoke of her aunt’s love for the town and her enthusiasm for life.

”She was a very vibrant woman, and even in her last few years she always seemed quite youthful,” she said.

”She visited so many different places, which was really quite remarkable for a woman of her generation.”

Gwen Barker, who was friends with Mary for over 40 years, used to go on regular holidays with Mary, and they played dominoes with a group of friends once a week.

”She knew so many people and delivered so many of their children. It was impossible to walk through town,” she said.

”Mary really liked Worksop and loved getting to know different people in the community.”

Shirley Greening-Jackson, a former district midwife who worked with Mary for a short while, described Mary as someone who gave a lot to the Worksop community.

”I was full of admiration for her. She was someone who said things exactly how they were,” she said.

”She was a very fit woman. She told me once that people should never live in a bungalow as it stops you keeping fit. She used to make sure she ran up the stairs at least twice a day.”

Mary suffered a stroke and spent two weeks in Bassetlaw Hospital before she died.