Marjorie Potts, widely known in Worcester from three decades as head of music at a city school and 26 years as Secretary of the Worcester Festival Choral Society, has died suddenly at the age of 83.

Born in the St Paul's area of Worcester, Miss Potts was educated at St Peter's School and the Worcester Secondary School for Girls which later became the Girls' Grammar School.

Her love of music came from her father, a musician who knew composer Sir Edward Elgar.

She was also much impressed by the music teaching at the Secondary School for Girls.

Miss Potts studied to become a teacher at Durham University and Whitelands College of Education in London and also gathered singing and teaching diplomas from the Birmingham School of Music, the London Guildhall School of Music and the Royal College of Music.

Her first teaching posts were in the London area before she returned to Worcester in 1953 to join the staff of Christopher Whitehead Girls' School where she became head of music and religious studies.

A much-respected teacher, she eventually retired in 1982 after 29 years' service at the school.

Many of her students from the school's choir will remember their winning entry at the Cheltenham Festival.

One former chorister, Pauline Pearce said: "She was an excellent teacher who commanded great respect and brought the best out of us. She was an inspiration."

Singing was Miss Potts' first love and as a soprano she joined the famous Bach Choir in London early in the 1950s.

Her highly-active half-century association with the Worcester Festival Choral Society began in 1953, and she sang in her first Three Choirs Festival the following year.

She served in various roles on the society's committees before becoming Secretary in 1976 and Chorus Superintendent for the Three Choirs Festival whenever it was at Worcester.

Miss Potts retired as the society's Secretary at the end of 2002 and received a personal letter of thanks from the Prince of Wales for all her work in connection with the Three Choirs.

The opening concert of this year's festival at Worcester in August is to be dedicated to her.

Highlights of her singing career included major Elgar concerts with the Worcester Festival Choral Society at the Royal Albert Hall, at Liverpool and in the cathedrals of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester.

She always said what a privilege it was to be part of a Festival Chorus conducted by such noted Worcester Cathedral organists as Sir David Willcocks, David Guest, Christopher Robinson and Donald Hunt.

Her favourite choral composer was Bach and she "adored" Elgar's music.

Miss Potts also had a great involvement over the years with Townswomen's Guild choirs across the Three Counties.

She was a member of the Worcester Central Townwomen's Guild and conductor of the St John's TG branch.

She died at her long time home in Oldbury Road, Worcester and her funeral will be held at St John's Church on Thursday, April 24, at 2pm.