Mary was born in Leasgyll, the only child of Ted and Annie Ellwood. The family moved into Milnthorpe shortly after and Mary spent the rest of her life there, attending Miss Scott's school and later Kendal High School.

Mary went into nursing, firstly training as a Registered Fever Nurse at Beaumont Hospital, Lancaster, then completing her State Registered Nurse training at Oldham Royal Infirmary, then midwifery at St Mary's, Manchester.

It was while at Oldham Royal Infirmary she met her husband-to-be John, who was a patient.

Mary moved nearer home before her marriage and became sister tutor, then assistant matron and, finally, acting matron at Beaumont Hospital.
The couple married in 1948 at St Thomas's Church, Milnthorpe, and lived briefly in Heversham and Witherslack before settling in Firs Road where daughters Ann and Alex were born, and who followed their mum into nursing.

In 1962, the family moved to Mallow House and, in 1992, Mary and John moved into Riverdene were Mary had lived as a child and John died in December 2002.

Mary devoted much of her life to voluntary working including superintendent of St Thomas's Church, Sunday School, bandaging for the Red Cross at local blood donor sessions, founder organiser of the WRVS meals-on-wheels service for more than 20 years for Milnthorpe and surrounding areas, parochial church council committee member and trustee to the Tattersall Almshouses to which Mary was chairman until her death.

Mary was also a long serving member of St Thomas's Church and the Mothers' Union and a member of Widening Horizons and president of the bowling green club.

Just over 20 years ago, Mary took over from daughter Ann as Milnthorpe correspondent to the Lancaster Guardian and Westmor-land Gazette. Her funeral, attended by around 150 people, was held at St Thomas's last Thursday.

Mary leaves her daughters Ann and Alex; granddaughter Sarah; and great grandchildren Amy and Jamie.