A TRIBUTE to a community stalwart was given at a memorial service.

Joanna Neave passed away aged 88 and was known as a former matron at Cheltenham General Hospital.

She was also a member of The Friends of Stow Surgery; Stow and District Civic Society and Stow Town Council planning committee and won a community service award in 2014.

At the memorial service in St Edward's Church, reverend Martin Short said: "She was grateful for all the people who came through her door and for the medical care she received.

"She had all the attributes of a self-made woman but she believed all she enjoyed was by the grace of God."

The strong Christian was a founder member of St Edward’s Church choir and sat on the parochial church council and deanery synod.

After retirement, Mrs Neave continued to help people, including regularly visiting residents at Abbeyfield House care home.

Reverend Short added: “Joanna didn’t want a funeral and she certainly didn’t want a eulogy, she didn’t think she was worthy of any fuss. Her instructions were ‘Just stick me in the oven."

He said she “continually played down” her declining health and “always insisted that we prayed for others in the world and in the life of this town”.

Mrs Neeve was born in Nazareth as her father was in the colonial service in Palestine.

Coming to England at 18, she spent three years training at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, London, followed by three more in general training at Guy’s Hospital.

Her first matron’s post was at the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital at Margate and six years later she came to Cheltenham.

She then retired to get married to John Neave who co-founded Cotswold Farm Park in 1963. The Neaves lived in nearby Kineton, until coming to Stow in 1988 on Mr Neave's retirement.

Mrs Neave had help from Kate's Home Nursing through the later stages of her life, a hospice that visit terminally-ill people in their own homes.

Mrs Neave leaves her sister Lorna, son Clive and daughter Hilary, as well as 10 great-grandchildren.

Clive Neave said: “I would like to thank all the people who kept an eye on mum and all the nurses and ‘Kate’s Carers’ who tended to her.”

Donations were made to Kate’s Home Nursing at the service.