MRS Gwendoline Grist, who died on April 24 aged 93, had been married to Kenneth Grist for 73 years.

Her daughter Angela wrote: "What was Gwen like, well she was the happy-go-lucky party girl even right up to the day before she left us. She intended to have a champagne party when the hospital stay was over. Gwen and her husband were in adjoining wards at the RUH because of a fall they both had, but that was only a blip in Gwen's mind, for she was ready for the next Sunday outing.

"One of Gwen's first jobs was with Airsprung, not the Airsprung you all know today but the original at Cradle Bridge, spraying bedsteads. During WWII Gwen kept the fighting men's hunger at bay working at the NAAFI at the barracks on Frome Rd. After the war Gwen went to the weaving sheds of our historic mills, all but a few bits of buildings are left to witness an era of sweat, noise and toil that the women of Trowbridge experienced on the looms. Gwen carried on working until she was 68, when she retired from Waldens.

"With the changing face of Trowbridge the street that Gwen was born in is no longer, for some years ago Thomas Street was flattened and Charlotte Court, off Timbrell Street, built. Gwen was the youngest of seven and never knew her father, for he was killed on the Somme in July 1916 when she was two, so hardship was no stranger to the Trollope family.

"St Thomas' Church, still a very active and thriving church, is where Ken and Gwen tied the knot 73 years ago.

"They re-visited on their platinum wedding anniversary, when they were also interviewed on television. Gwen was very proud of her three telegrams from the Queen commemorating 60, 65 and 70 years of married life and showed them to everyone visiting.

"Tragedy hit the family when Heather, their eldest daughter, died aged 43, leaving a husband and two sons.

"Now Gwen, the one that always said If there were no fools there would be no fun' has left us, us being Ken, her very attentive loving husband, Angela her daughter and Danny her son-in-law, four grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

"Nan, as we all knew her, will be sorely loved and missed for her lovely smile, wicked sense of humour and great generosity.

"Anyone wishing to say goodbye to her please come to St Katharine's Church, Holt, on May 9 at 11.30am."

11:01am Thursday 1st May 2008

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