Tributes have been paid to a former mayor of Attleborough and well-loved community stalwart who has died aged 93.
Betty Campbell served as mayor twice and was a familiar face on community groups, holding the roles of governor of Attleborough Junior School, treasurer of St Mary's Church Building Trust and reader for the Wymondham and Attleborough Talking Newspaper for 11 years among many others.
Her son Graham Campbell paid tribute to an outgoing, well travelled and popular woman.
He said: 'Mum liked other people and her gregarious nature made her almost instantly well-liked by them. She was interested and interesting, well educated and well travelled, taking holidays abroad right up to May 2014 when she was 93 years old.'
He added that she loved sampling new food, 'from Tunisian tagines to a French civet'.
'She was always adventurous in her palate as in her life,' he said.
Born in London, Betty's family moved to Westcliff-on-Sea, in Essex, when she was just eight.
She was educated at St Bernard's Convent High School and started her working life at Barclays Bank Trustee Department in London.
When the war broke out, she was evacuated to Exeter, where she met husband Douglas in 1941.
The couple were married in 1942 and had their sons and Graham in Westcliff in 1945 and 1948. Sadly, aged just 19, Colin was killed in a road accident.
Betty spent 11 years working as a teacher, before retiring to Attleborough in 1981.
She didn't take a back seat, though - taking on roles on the St Mary's Mothers' Union, the WI and the horticultural and wine societies and, as mayor, signing the town's Twinning Charter with Nueil lès Aubiers in 1996.
In 2002 Betty and Douglas celebrated their diamond anniversary, two years before Douglas passed away in 2004.
She ventured back to the south of France with her son to mark her wedding anniversary each year from 2006 until 2014.
Her contribution to the town was recognised in 2010, when she was awarded a Certification of Appreciation at the Attleborough Community Awards in 2010.
At the end of last year her health began to deteriorate, and she moved to the Attleborough Fairland House in September.
Mr Campbell said: 'She loved her independence - whilst never fiercely guarding it, she was the first to volunteer that going into care when she left hospital in October was her best option. Typically, once she moved into the wonderful Fairland House, she became much-loved as much by the residents as by the staff.'
Karen Pettitt, Attleborough mayor, said: 'Betty Campbell was a popular Mayor of Attleborough and will be sadly missed. She was a very active person until the last few months. Always willing to help with a smile.'
Breckland councillor Jenny North met Betty on the horticultural society. She said: 'If you wanted something done you would ask Betty, and know she'd do it. She did things at double pace and always had a twinkle in her eye. She was a really lovely lady.'
A funeral service on December 17 was a celebration 'in music, words and spirit of a well-loved lady and of a life well-loved, in a church full of friends', Mr Campbell said.
Do you want to pay tribute to someone? Contact lauren.cope@archant.co.uk
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