Twin Florence Raeburn was the last remaining Barnett of the family which ran popular newsagent in Corsham High Street – Barnett Brothers.

Her brothers Ernie and Reggie were well known in the area as the newsagent was a hub for people to go to. It was their mother Phoebe Barnett who initially set up the shop, which they ran for many years.

Mrs Raeburn was born in Aston, Birmingham on January 7, 1918 and at the age of three her family moved to The Ridge in Neston where she attended Neston Primary School. As well as Ernie and Reggie she had two sisters, Ann and her twin Beatrice, who died aged 67.

At the age of 21 Mrs Raeburn met her first love Percy Walters and got married at St Bartholomew’s Church in Corsham. But the couple only stayed together for three months as Mr Walters, who was in the army, was called away to war and died fighting in Libya.

Mrs Raeburn later married Willis Smith and they had a daughter together, Susan Grove, 65, but when Mrs Grove was aged only six, Mr Smith died.

Mrs Grove said: “She was a mother and father and I never went without. She was just lovely. She did such a brilliant job in bringing me up, we did everything together.”

In 1969 Mrs Raeburn married William Raeburn. They met when she was working in the kitchen at Corsham School where her twin Beatrice Gardner also worked as a supervisor.

Mr Raeburn, who originally came from Wales, would deliver heating oil to the school and would pop into the kitchen for a cup of tea. The pair struck up a friendship and married in March 1969 in Chippenham registrar office.

They then moved to Broadstone in Dorset, where William, or Rae as he was known, worked. They returned to Corsham in 2000, living in a bungalow in Nursery Gardens, also in Station Road.

Mrs Raeburn has two grandchildren, Stacy and Simon, and lived at Nursery Gardens, Corsham.

She also had great-grandchildren Callum, Chay, Shania and Ernie.

She would always say to Ernie: “How are you, my Little Poppet?” Ernie took this on board and started calling her Nanny Poppet and that is how she became known.

She was widowed again in 2008, when William died aged 92.

She died on November 22 after suffering from ill health.

Her funeral is taking place today (Thursday) at West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington at 12.15pm.