SHARON Black, 54, who died on May 15, was a wife, mother, soldier, administrator, a crochet master, fundraiser, a footballer, a golfer and a super football coach to her young team at Worton & Cheverell FC.

Sharon was born in Irvine, Scotland, and her father was a member of Royal Signals which led to Sharon living in a Singapore, Germany, and Benbecula in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides.

Her family ended military service living in Hutton Cranswick in East Yorkshire.

Sharon was active in sports, excellent at athletics, football and badminton.

She was the first girl to be allowed to play football for the school team, leading the way for others. When she came on as a substitute for Hutton Cranswick in the local football league as a 16- year-old, she was the first female to play in that league.

She was a competitive middle and long-distance runner, regularly racing across the UK for Hull's Costello Club.

Sharon spent a short time at Cherry Burton College learning about agriculture, but the lure of Armed Forces was too great and she went to register as a Physical Training Instructor in the Army. With no space available, she then joined the Women’s Royal Army Core and, after training, went back to Benbecula to serve on the Artillery Range.

During her Army career, sport played a major part, and Sharon represented the Army at badminton and football.

She met husband Neil on Benbecula and in 1992 they married and moved to Germany with 39 Regt RA, including postings to Cyprus and Bosnia.

Returning to the UK, Sharon joined 14 Reg RA at Larkhill as Provost Bdr before an ankle injury restricted her to office-style duties with 32 Regt RA.

Neil and Sharon moved into Market Lavington in 1997. In 2001 their son James was born and a year later Sharon retired from the Army.

Despite her ankle surgery, Sharon continued to play football playing for Swindon Town Ladies for a number of seasons.

In 2004 the family moved to Virginia, USA, on a posting for Neil's job. Sharon continued to help develop James as he grew, eventually working as teaching assistant.

In the USA, she started playing golf, played for several football teams at the same time, and was in winning US Vets Championships team one year. It was in the USA that her first encounter with breast cancer happened.

Returning to the UK in 2008, Sharon continued her golf and joined Erlestoke Golf Club and started working at Erlestoke Prison as an administrator.

She continued playing football and joined Lavington Ladies Football Club which embraces the sport in the spirit that embraced Sharon’s character.

A return of the breast cancer in 2013 meant managing the condition was the only possible path. Sharon became a fundraiser for Second Hope, a secondary breast cancer organisation and it was her chosen charity when she was Captain of the Ladies Section.

Annually, at the golf club Sharon would have a pink day - not her favourite colour - but would dress in the wackiest pink clothing found during the year, make pink cakes and provide pink prizes all to increase the funds raised. That year just over £5,000 was raised. Sharon also supported the Race for Life in Swindon as a marshal every year.

Sharon also decided to take on football coaching and took on the Under 8s at Worton & Cheverell FC and developed her young team into good footballers, but also even at that age, better people and respective of others. She received a Super Coach hoodie which she wore with pride.

Sharon wrote a song which was produced by Rupert Hine and put to music by Nathan Timothy. It is available to download from The Songwriting Charity. The monies raised go to Second Hope.

Sharon’s condition started to decline and things were harder to do, she got more tired but still applied herself to her sports.

Her crochet skills created numerous fabulous designs – Minions, Nemos, Mermaid Tails, Tinkerbell and Transformers. She shared her skills with the local Craft Club.

Just after her 54th birthday her condition declined quickly and Sharon died at Dorothy House but her inspirational memory will live on in so many happy memories for so many people. A celebration will be held when circumstances permit and her ashes will be spread on a golden sand beach on Benbecula.