Ref. 29346-7SWINDON said goodbye to supergran Queenie Lea yesterday in a ceremony attended by all her 11 children.

Mrs Lea, of Cricklade Road, who had 37 grandchildren, 64 great grandchildren and five great great grandchildren, was laid to rest after a service of thanksgiving at the Salvation Army Citadel, in Gorse Hill.

She died on February 17 aged 92. Her husband George died 21 years ago.

Two of her daughters, Diane and Barbara, flew in from Australia and tributes poured in from family and friends before, during and after the ceremony, which took place in a chapel dominated by a picture of Mrs Lea with one of her great great grandchildren.

Her daughter Valerie Ferrell told the packed chapel her mother was the most loving, gentle and caring lady she had ever known.

Grandson Richard Lea said: "She always knew who was married to who, whose children were whose and when you think how many there were, it is amazing.

"She loved the children. Every time we went round there she was always ready to pick up the babies and little children."

Her son Don described his mother as the person who invented the expression "laid back."

"All our lives, right from when we were small, although we always felt that we were being watched and looked after, all the mistakes we made, she never reproached us for anything. She would have a quiet word with us, because that's the way she was," he said

Mrs Lea had a hard life, particularly in her early years. In 1917, at the age of six, she lost her father who died of his wounds at Basra, in what was then Mesopotamia.

During World War II she struggled to bring up her large family while her husband was posted away to a gun battery on the south coast, to help bring down the flying bombs that threatened London.

Don said: "It was very difficult for her. She couldn't enjoy one night's relaxation."

He added that her first thought would always be for other people,

His wife Pat is suffering from cancer and he said whenever he went to visit his mother in hospital at the end of her life, she would always ask after her.

Nine-year-old George Tompkins, from Liden, may have been her great great grandson, but she was still known to him as Gran.

"I miss her lots. She was very kind," he said. "Every time we went round her house she used to make a lovely cake.

"She used to bring out some old toys and some really old figures and we played games with them on the carpet."

Tributes even came from friends in America.

Jan and Bill Heighes, from Claremont, New Hampshire, met Queenie in 2002 when they were visiting her son Dave and his wife Marion.

"Queenie lives on in her children who reflect her values and character," they said."Her sweet and gentle spirit and sparkling eyes will be greatly missed by many."

A special tribute was paid to Queenie by her great great granddaughter, Jennifer Lea, nine, who played Amazing Grace on the piano.

Tina Clarke