DEVOTED mother Jean Wheeler, who has died aged 94, was always a welcome face to those visiting her late husband’s GP surgery in Marlborough.

She was born in Newport, Pembrokeshire, in July 1921 to parents John and May. She had a younger sister Eira.

Before she died in July she lived in Back Lane, Marlborough, and despite having dementia, Mrs Wheeler, nee Bowen Evans, remained feisty and independent up to her last few weeks. She leaves daughters Carolyn and Alison, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She spent much of her childhood exploring the countryside. Her father was Mayor of Newport and her family were the proud owners of the first car and telephone in the village.

When she left school she went to work for a bank in Cardiff. However, when the Second World War broke out she joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and was the sole crew member of the immobile HMS Skirmisher in Fishguard. Her main duty as secretary to Captain Diggle, based in The Fishguard Bay Hotel, was to walk his dog over the headland.

Later, she was sent to Inverness to learn ciphers, and was involved in the D-Day landings. Then she was posted to Ceylon, and joined a ship with many WRNS and just a few officers, one of whom was the ship’s doctor Bob Wheeler.

The pair fell in love and married in Colombo in 1945. She let her family know by sending a telegram home saying: “Getting married tomorrow. Wish you were here.”

As Mrs Wheeler was already pregnant at the end of the war she was demobbed speedily and returned to Newport, where the Wheeler and Bowen Evans families met for the first time.

Mr Wheeler subsequently arrived to meet his new in-laws and their first daughter Carolyn was born shortly afterwards. The three of them moved to Epsom as Mr Wheeler had secured a surgical house job at St Steven’s Hospital, London.

Their second daughter Alison was born a few years later, and despite rationing and post-war shortages, Mrs Wheeler was a happy young wife and mother.

When Mr Wheeler’s father Edwin began suffering from failing eyesight he was keen for his son to move to Marlborough to take over from him in General Practice, so the family moved to 119 High Street.

Mrs Wheeler settled happily into her role as a GP’s wife, which entailed acting as receptionist, confidant, provider of tea and coffee whilst patients waited in the sitting room, and she was an occasional first- aider.

When Mr Wheeler died aged 63 in 1978, Mrs Wheeler decided to downsize from the nine-bedroom house in the High Street, to the Coach House, which was the family garage. This was masterminded by her son-in-law Mick and daughter Alison.

She then launched herself into volunteering. The Citizens Advice Bureau, the former Tourist Information Centre, Meals on Wheels and Link all benefitted from her attention, but her favourite was the League of Friends of Savernake Hospital, feeling that this continued Mr Wheeler’s legacy.

She also enjoyed many aspects of the cultural life in Marlborough and further afield, including concerts, plays and the College Summer Schools.

Her daughter Carolyn Halliday said: “We hope the memory of Jean will not be of her old age, but rather of her glory days in Marlborough, celebrating her hospitality, generosity, friendship and delight in family.”