Jan Archard, 66, popular and well- respected former teacher at St John’s, Marlborough, died peacefully at home on June 18 after a period of illness.

More than 150 ex-colleagues, friends and family attended the funeral service at St Thomas More’s Roman Catholic Church, Marlborough, on June 30.

There were many tributes to her as fun-loving, courageous, caring and inspiring personality.

Jan was born in Chippenham on November 30, 1947, the daughter of Stan and Sheila Archard. She had two brothers and two sisters, to whom she was very close.

She attended St Margaret’s Convent Junior School in Chippenham and La Santa Union Convent Grammar School in Bath.

After training to be a PE teacher at IM Marsh College in Liverpool she started her teaching career in Scunthorpe. She then moved to Jamaica where she taught PE for five years.

On her return, she joined St John’s School, initially teaching PE and later maths. She worked at the school for more than 25 years up until her early retirement in 2007.

She was a dedicated and active teacher, always willing to support extra school activities and trips. She inspired students and colleagues alike by her enthusiasm, energy, determination and sense of humour.

Imogen Willgress, a former colleague at St John’s, paid tribute to her, recalling how she instigated the tradition of strawberry teas at sports day.

She added: “She was always so humble and able to meet each student at the point they were as an individual, rather than expecting them to fit into the curriculum.”

Even in retirement she was active. Sport was her passion and she was a keen member of Marlborough Golf Club, serving on the Ladies Section committee and playing regularly.

She always maintained her love for Liverpool FC from her student days and followed their fortunes closely. She liked to stay fit and was a regular at Marlborough Leisure Centre taking part in exercise classes, badminton and tennis.

Jan was also a regular volunteer at the Crofton Beam Engines project near Great Bedwyn.

Although she had no children of her own she was very much a family person, doting on her seven nieces and nephews and, more recently, her great niece and nephew.

She made sure she stayed in touch with them with regular visits to Oxfordshire, Cornwall, France and New Zealand and even took up French lessons recently in order to converse with her continental relatives.

Jan loved her home and garden in Marlborough where she had built a very happy life and was an active member of the community. She will be sadly missed by the many people whose lives she touched.

The funeral service was followed by a private cremation at Kingsdown Crematorium, Swindon. A collection in lieu of flowers will go to the Greatwood charity.