MOURNERS packed St Mary’s Church in Witney yesterday to pay their respects to former town mayor Chrissie Curry who died last month after battling cancer.

The Rev Toby Wright led the service for a congregation of friends, family and well wishers for the 66-yearold, who died on April 22. Ms Curry served as mayor for two terms from 2006 to 2008 and served on many town council committees.

Oxford Mail:

 The funeral cortege 

She is remembered for her active role in the community.

She was also a champion of major town projects such as the splash park in The Leys and worked with groups such as Abdabs theatre company.

Following the service, her partner David Harvey who owns WR Harvey antiques said it was an “amazing tribute which Chrissie would have loved”.

West Oxfordshire District Council leader Barry Norton who was at the service on behalf of Witney MP David Cameron, said: “I thought it was very touching.

“She was always totally committed to helping the community.”

Town mayor Jeanette Baker said: “I thought it was an amazing, emotional, lovely tribute, especially for her friends and family. Her legacy will go on with all the things she’s achieved.”

Ms Curry was born in 1948 in St George’s Hospital, London, near the pub her parents ran in central London. She became a personal assistant and human resources officer.

She had a passion for drama and appeared in amateur performances, once taking the stage at the Hackney Empire.

In her early forties she contracted the debilitating illness ME which she refused to allow to dominate her life.

She met Mr Harvey in 1995 and in 1996 the couple relocated their antiques business to Witney.

Ms Curry leaves behind her partner and five godchildren.

The service included the hymns Hills of the North Rejoice and Jerusalem.

There were tributes from Witney town clerk Sharon Groth, Ms Curry’s closest friends Marian Collard and Sue Orpwood and her cousin and godchildren. Offerings went to Sobell House Hospice where Ms Curry received care. The service was followed by a private wake.