Mrs Beryl Mary Gibbs died peacefully at home in Trowbridge on March 25.

She was born in Bradford on Avon on March 19, 1941, the first daughter of Bob and Nellie Dobson, and went on to have a younger sister, Hazel.

As a youngster, she was encouraged to attend church and was confirmed by the Bishop of Salisbury.

She married Michael Gibbs and they had two daughters Tracey and Victoria, and Hannah, a much-loved granddaughter.

Educated at Christchurch School in Bradford on Avon and then Holy Trinity Secondary School, she left school at 15 and started work in the town’s mushroom quarries where her father was a supervisor. She moved on to other jobs which included a shop assistant, bus conductress and, perhaps most notably, as a supervisor in the Rex Rubber factory, a small factory in Bradford on Avon which produced a range of products including the tennis balls which at that time were used at Wimbledon.

Her varied interests included playing darts and she did a spell of bell ringing with the team at Christ Church. At an early age her grandmother taught her to knit: she became quite an expert and knitting became a lifelong activity. Her services were much in demand, particularly when baby clothes were required.

Beryl loved dogs and her family always had a dog, usually Labradors.

Her father, her grandfather and uncles were all keen gardeners and with their guidance she became very knowledgeable on the subject and in her younger days was very active in the garden.

She suffered from arthritis in her later years and, eventually with other medical conditions, became bedridden for the last seven years of her life. She bore this burden with great fortitude and cheerfulness, setting an example to all.

During this period of her life she was an avid reader, and at one time every book in the large print medical romance section at the Trowbridge library had her initials written inside the back cover.

She also gained much pleasure from TV, with cookery, gardening and tennis programmes among her favourites, and in listening to music, particularly arrangements by Andre Rieu.

Her funeral was held at the West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington. Donations in her memory are to be shared between Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK.