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'Mary would always put community first'
A CARLTON grandmother who dedicated her life to fundraising has been remembered by her family.
Mary Holmes, 81, and her husband of 61 years Harry, returned from a bowls trip to Norfolk in April when Mary began to feel unwell.
She was taken to hospital and died the next day on Saturday 11th April from a burst stomach ulcer. Mary’s death came as a massive shock to her family and friends.
“There was no warning and it was a huge shock. She was so close to my dad – together they made the perfect couple,” said daughter Susan Edmonds, 55.
For more than 40 years, Mary, of Glamis Road, had been a valued member of Bassetlaw Hospital’s League of Friends, and spent much of her time tirelessly fundraising for the group. She was also a very active member in the local community. She was a member of Carlton’s Women’s Institute, as well as Carlton 50 Plus, the keep fit group and bowls club.
She was also a regular attendee of Carton’s St John’s Church.
“Helping others was extremely important to mum, and even after so many years she still got involved at a grass-roots level,” said Susan, who has two children – Matthew, 28, and Rosie, 24.
She added: “She did not mind getting her hands dirty. She would spend hours standing on the streets with a money tin collecting donations – that’s the person she was, helping people in the community made her happy – she always had a smile for people.”
Born and raised in Worksop, Mary lived in the town before later settling in Carlton.
She was educated at Worksop’s Priory School and went on to work as a civilian in the Army, and at the Food Office in Worksop, providing ration books for businesses. She then went on to become a full-time housewife.
Mary and husband Harry married at Worksop's Priory Church on 26th December 1947, just a few months after first meeting at The Palais dance hall.
Six years later, in 1953, marked the arrival of their daughter Susan – now a headteacher at a school in Northamptonshire.
“She was a very friendly lady – if she sat next to a stranger on the bus, by the time she got off, she knew their life story. She never asked for it, she was just a very friendly lady,” said husband Harry.
He added: “Her friends and family were her life. We had 61 wonderful years of marriage – I always thought I would go first, and it is such a shock that it has not ended up that way.”
Mary’s funeral took place at St John’s Church in Carlton on Monday 27th April.
“The church was so full of people – it just shows how important she was to people in the community. She will be remembered for going out of her way to help others, and for her selflessness,” said Susan.
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Weather for Worksop
Sunday 12 February 2012
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Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
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