Winifred Sylvia Gilmore passed away peacefully on March 4, aged 85, having spent a life caring for others.

Born on February 17, 1922, to Jack and Winifred Costar, in Abingdon, she was the middle of three children.

Her younger brother was Malcolm and her older brother was Desmond.

Her parents owned and ran Walter's Cafe, a transport cafe on Ock Street, in Abingdon, and as a young girl, she spent her time helping out.

In 1945, she met Arthur Everard and they married and moved to Hastings.

After 15 years, Winifred moved back to Abingdon and started work as a secretary for a local GP, Dr James Gilmore.

In 1958, she divorced and began a relationship with her employer, Dr Gilmore, that would see them married four years later.

In 1962, the couple decided that they wanted to open an old people's home and started The Close at Burcot, which they ran until 1979.

Winifred lived in Devon for the last five years of her life.

She leaves two sons, Paul and John, daughters-in-law Karen and Marion, five grandchildren, Annie, Janet, Amber, Jade and Jasper, and three great grandchildren, Peter, Charlie and Rachel.