COMMUNITY stalwart, great grandmother and keen sportswoman Fiona Hillier has died aged 85.

Mrs Hillier died on January 29 after years living with Alzheimer’s but until illness overcame her she lived a busy and active life with her family at the centre of what she did. She was admired in the community for her get up and go attitude and willingness to help others.

She is survived by her husband of 36 years Graham, her daughters Karen and Amanda, grandchildren Luke, Jodi, Lee, Emily and Sarah, her great grandchild Thomas and her siblings Josette, Jacqueline, Michael, Richard and Rachel.

She was born in Egypt in 1932 while her father Cecil was serving in the RAF. Fe and her mother returned to the UK in 1933 and lived in Devizes.

She went to Devizes Grammar School in 1943, where she was a bright pupil and in her final exams she passed high enough to have gone to University. She wanted to join the WRNS but stayed home instead to work in order to help with the family finances.

She played football and hockey for Devizes Ladies, practised judo and was a very good tennis and squash player, a strong swimmer she was on the committee of the Swimming Club. In later life Fe took up Yoga, aerobics and rambling, where her romance with Graham began.

From 1948 to 1952 she was on the committee of the community centre on The Green. For many years from the late 1960s to the mid 1980s she helped with the Devizes Junior Eisteddfod. She had excellent handwriting and, along with seven others, would write out all the certificates.

After doing various jobs Fe got a position at Roundway Hospital as a short hand typist and secretary later becoming PA to Dr Conway and after his retirement became PA to Dr Peter Crofts. In the late 80’s they were given the task of developing a unit at Savernake Hospital to take over care from Roundway Hospital, she was very instrumental in its commission. At it’s opening as The Farmer Memorial Unit in 1989 she transferred to work there full time as the Unit Administrator. She remained there until she retired in 1992.

She was active at the Catholic Church and after retirement spent many years typing up the parish magazine. In later years she spent Wednesday afternoons working on the flower beds around the church.

Mrs Hillier was a regular blood donor and after retiring she would help out at donor sessions on the booking-in desk, continuing to do so for several after she stopped donating at the age of 75.

Retirement brought new adventures. Taking a flight for the first time led to several foreign holidays but mostly holidays were taken in their motorhome, walking the south west coastal path and taking up dancing.

Mrs Hillier’s funeral was held at Our Lady’s Church of the Immaculate Conception on February 13and her family took great comfort in the large number of people who came to celebrate the life of this wonderful, colourful lady.

Donations can still be made to Alzheimer’s Research care of Charles S Winchcome & Son.