Elizabeth Summers

Mrs Summers worked at the psychiatric hospital in Devizes for 42 years as a nurse, retiring as deputy ward sister when she was 60, but stayed on part-time working in the chiropody clinic until she was 65.

Mrs Summers was born in Newtown Cunningham, County Donegal, Ireland, and at 17 followed her elder sister, Francis, to Devizes and Roundway Hospital, where she worked.

At that time she lived in accommodation at the hospital. Another sister, Mabel, also came and worked at Roundway Hospital, although she and Francis later moved to London.

She met her future husband, Leonard, at the Red Cross Centre on The Green, Devizes. They married on April 10, 1939 at the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Devizes.

Mr Summers served in the Army during the Second World War and mostly served in Belgium.

They had two children, Hannah, now 74, who was a nurse at Roundway Hospital for 39 years, and John, 70.

They lived in Sheep Street, Waylands and Mayenne Place, Devizes.

Mr Summers, who worked as a haulage contractor after the war, died in 1969.

Mrs Summers latterly lived in a bungalow in Hillworth Road, Devizes and lived there until last August when she moved to Mayfield care home in Nursteed Road, Devizes.

Her son, John, 70, said: “She loved the work at Roundway Hospital. She enjoyed looking after the patients. When she retired at 60 she didn’t want to finish completely as she liked to work, so she worked part-time in the chiropody clinic.”

Mrs Summers was extremely house proud and her hobbies included gardening and travelling and she enjoyed trips to Spain, Belgium, France, Jersey and Ireland.

As well as her children she is survived by her grandchildren Lorraine, Robert and Andrew and great grandchildren Brittany, Charlotte, Sophie and Charlotte.

Her funeral service is on Tuesday at West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington, at 1pm.

Donations in her memory will go to The Kidney Association c/o John Stuart Funeral Service, Devizes.