KATHLEEN Warnes, a friendly face at KP Stationers in the centre of Wallingford for 25 years, has died aged 91.

She was a well-known character in the area and devoted a huge amount of time helping those less fortunate than herself, with many people benefitting from her unselfish approach to life.

Kathleen Warnes, nee Gunning, was born in Wigan, Lancashire, on September 17, 1925.

She was the second eldest of ten children and the eldest of seven girls.

The family left Lancashire when Kathleen was two and moved to Dinnington, South Yorkshire, where Mr Gunning became a coal miner.

Kathleen attended Dinnington High School, then at the age of 18 during the Second World War she left the family home and ventured south to join the Women’s Land Army in Wallingford.

She was given the position of forewoman, responsible for managing 40 girls.

As the war ended, she had regular contact with a debonair postman called Harry Warnes from Wallingford, who at the time was delivering letters to Shakespeare House in Clapcot Way, the Hostel for the Land Army girls.

Receiving letters from Yorkshire via Harry was the first chapter in their romance and in January 1948 they returned to Dinnington to marry at St Joseph's Catholic Church. This very happy encounter lasted for more than 54 years.

The couple first lived in a flat in Wallingford's Market Place before moving to a house in St George's Green in Wallingford in 1959.

They had two children, Maureen born in April 1952, and Michael born in May 1957.

Mrs Warnes was a volunteer for the British Red Cross for many years and every Sunday during the summer months she would be on duty in the Red Cross caravan at Wallingford Riverside.

During the 1970s she became a founder member of the Wallingford Wine Circle.

The Club prospered for more than 25 years and at one point had over 150 members.

She held the position of chairwoman, was an excellent winemaker herself and she won countless trophies over the years.

Mrs Warnes worked at KP Stationers in Wallingford for more than 25 years and retired from the shop in the Market Place in 1996.

She was well known to hundreds of people in the town, who affectionately referred to her as the ‘nice lady in the toy department.’

When her husband retired, they travelled extensively throughout Europe, North America and parts of Asia.

After Mr Warnes died in 2003, Mrs Warnes dedicated some of her time to volunteering two days a week at the Style Acre charity shop in Wallingford.

In her latter years Mrs Warnes suffered dementia and her illness prevented her from participating in her charity work.

She spent the last three years at Westgate House nursing home in Wallingford and became a popular figure with residents and staff.

Mrs Warnes died on April 20 followed by a funeral at Oxford Crematorium on May 5.

She is survived by her daughter Maureen and son Michael and her five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.