Cake-maker Val dies at 71 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Cake-maker Val dies at 71

VAL Pomeroy, who was famous throughout Wootton Bassett for her prolific cake-making, has died aged 71.

Mrs Pomeroy's cakes and pastries found their way into many homes in the town and not just for the Age Concern and British Legion outings she and her husband Ted enjoyed.

"Whenever she went to the Halifax Building Society to pay money in she always took a cake with her," said her daughter Lynne.

"She was always making cakes for people in the neigh-bourhood. She was known in the town for it."

Even the milkman benefited from her cookery skills.

He had a regular order for a homemade pie, which Mrs Pomeroy handed over every Friday when he arrived to collect her milk money.

Her cakes were also very popular with friends, family and neighbours and she often made them to order for special occasions.

"She would bake cakes for anyone who wanted one," said Lynne. "She just enjoyed making them."

Mrs Pomeroy and her husband moved to Wootton Bassett from London 11 years ago to be near their family, after Mr Pomeroy retired from his job as a cargo handler for the German airline, Lufthansa.

The couple, who would have been married for 49 years this June, fell in love with the area after moving, said Lynne.

Her mother's enthusiasm for the town was marked with a £1,000 donation from her will to the Civic Trust.

"It is a local charity and it does things to improve the area like planting trees and providing garden benches," said Lynne.

"Mum didn't have a lot but she wanted something useful done with her money," she said.

"It is nice to think that there will be something of her in Wootton Bassett."

Mrs Pomeroy, who suffered from asthma and eventual heart failure, leaves her husband Ted, also 71, two daughters Lynne and Marie and a son Stephen, together with five grand-children.

A funeral service, including a tribute to her life in words and songs, is being held at Kings-down Crematorium at noon today.

Val's family have requested mourners not to wear black or send wreaths.