A FORMER teacher who retired to Bradford on Avon to be closer to her family has died aged 101.

Diana Mary McGuffie sadly passed peacefully away after a short illness at the Royal United Hospital in Bath on Friday, January 19.

She was born in Launceston in Cornwall in 1917 as Diana Mary Benoy and both her parents were from farming families. The family then moved to Bristol and then on to Saltford near Bath.

Diana attended Bath High School and excelled at botany and then qualified at the University of Bristol to teach Domestic Science.

She met her husband Ross McGuffie, who was also a teacher, just before the Second World War war began.

He was called up for national service and after training in the UK was then sent overseas to Burma while Diana returned to Saltford to look after her ailing mother.

The couple had two children – Anne born in 1940 and Peter James McGuffie in 1943.

After having children, Diana looked after her home and family but did some teaching between times.

Her daughter Anne later married and went to live in Australia, where she gave birth to two daughters.

Peter married Patricia, who gave birth to a boy and a girl, making a total of four grandchildren in all.

Diana’s family later increased with eight great-grandchildren – three in the UK and five in Australia.

Her husband died in 1980 and Diana moved to Bradford on Avon closer to where Peter and Patricia lived. She lived firstly on the Bath Road and then at Fitzmaurice Place.

Peter said: “She kept herself fit by walking around the town, enjoying the gardens in all seasons. Mum took part in all family celebrations and we have had the privilege of her being with us all these years.”

Her funeral service will be held at the West Wiltshire Crematorium at Semington at 11.30am on Wednesday, February 14.

The service will be followed at 1.30pm by a remembrance buffet and drinks to celebrate Diana’s life at the Seven Stars public house at Winsley.

Donations, if desired, to the Macular Society or Cancer Research UK, c/o C S Bowyer Funeral Directors, 2 The Bullpit, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1NB. Tel: 01225 863208.