IT is with great sadness that I report the death of Mrs Gladys Millard on July 10 at Tewkesbury Hospital.

I have known Gladys all my life, she has always been a cornerstone within the village. Having been born here, an only child, her only time away was during the war years when she was in the services. Many people will remember her as Gladys Starling who for years worked at C E Hopkins in High Street, Tewkesbury, who were haberdashers and milliners. She always rode her bike to and from work only getting a lift when the weather was particularly harsh or the roads were unsafe for cyclists.

Gladys was church warden at St Peter's Church since the late 1960s after the death of her mother who was church warden before her. Her duties included cleaning and arranging the flower rota. She was a member of the Royal British Legion for years, being the standard bearer for some time. Also she was a member of both the old and the new village hall committees. In fact, her service to our community has been invaluable and incalculable. She was present at practically every event within the village all her life and now we shall miss her dreadfully. Jack and Gladys were married nearly 16 years ago when they were both church wardens and their home was on Bushley Green.

In the last 18 months of her life she suffered some ill health but she was as determined as ever to join in village activities. Her death at age 84 years is a tragic loss to us all. We send our love and sympathy to Jack and to cousins Joyce and Freda Rusling.