Joyce Marr who devoted years of service to the community in Johnshaven has died aged 83.
She worked as a school administrator and was involved in nearly every organisation in the village.
In 2000, her service to the community was recognised when she was made an MBE and she received her award from the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Joyce was a member of the community council, played a big part in the success of Johnshaven Fish Festival and was an organiser for the Lifeboat Guild among many other posts.
She was born in Leeds where her father Fred Guest was a tax inspector and her mother, Ida, was a seamstress. She grew up with two older sisters, May and Nora, and was educated in the city.
When she left school, Joyce began work in the accounts department of John Lewis and, in February 1957, she met Don Marr, a Scottish sailor at a dance.
They hit it off and were engaged in December of that year, married in July 1958 and honeymooned in Blackpool. The following year their only child, Robert, was born.
Don was posted to HMS Caledonia at Rosyth and the family lived in Scotland for a period before returning to Leeds.
In 1966, Don left the Royal Navy and joined the fire brigade in Leeds where he served for 13 years.
When he left the service the family decided they would move from Leeds and Don travelled to the north-east to scope out possibilities.
He spotted the Old Schoolhouse, Johnshaven, promptly bought it and caught the train back to Leeds to break the news to Joyce and Robert (Rob).
It was a bit of a shock but soon the family moved to Johnshaven. Don started work at the Co-op and Joyce got a job as a cleaner at the Anchor Hotel and worked in a shop in the afternoons.
She also immediately threw herself into community life and joined almost every group going.
Her daughter-in-law, Ceci Alderton, said: “She was a member and later president of the Woman’s Guild, and a member of the games club and the art club, became the treasurer of Wairds Park and helped organise the refurbishment of the bowling club.
“She helped with the annual fish festival, was a member of the community council and the heritage group and assisted with the community garden.
“Joyce was a good administrator and soon her skills were noticed by Lady Arburthnott, who asked her to be her secretary. She became Lady Arburthnott’s right-hand woman, organising all the local guilds of the RNLI for some 30 years and being awarded with a gold badge for her efforts.”
After her investiture at Buckingham Palace, Joyce and Don were invited to two royal garden parties at Holyrood House and three at Balmoral.
Ceci said: “Joyce was a well-kent face around Johnshaven and she will be sorely missed. People respected her for the work she put into the community and liked her for it.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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