AN active member of Grassington Methodist Chapel who spent many happy hours walking around the Dales with her family, has died.

Gladys Harrison, 85, died in Airedale General Hospital on Thursday, May 7 after a sudden and brief illness.

She was the widow of Joe Harrison, a retired local government officer, who died in 2013.

Gladys was born in Preston in 1935 and grew up in Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland.

She was later educated at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School from where she began her working life as a librarian in 1951.

Gladys had met Joe in Rimington in 1948 and following his National Service, they married in 1954.

His career in local government spanned five decades until his retirement in 1984. When he and Gladys moved to Skipton he worked as committee clerk for Skipton Urban District Council. Joe was promoted to deputy clerk to Skipton Urban District Council and, in 1974, was appointed clerk to the new Craven District Council.

Gladys was especially proud of her husband when In 1960 he achieved a national award for his dissertation on Local Government Law and Public Administration and for attaining the highest marks in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth in his professional examinations.

The couple lived in Brougham Street in the town and later, with their expanding family, at 2 Bright Street. She was able to live in her beloved Dales when She and Joe moved during their retirement, first to Threshfield and then to Grassington.

Gladys shared Joe’s love and passion for the Dales and the Lake District and this never dwindled.

They enjoyed years of walking holidays with their family while Gladys was also an active member of the Methodist Chapel, in Grassington, serving as steward for a number of years.

She and Joe lived in the chapel’s cottage from 1995.

Gladys was a devoted wife and mother, spending much of her 36 years in retirement travelling the country to visit and spend time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her six children Brian, Ian, Susan, Stephen, Marian and Michael, sixteen grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. Her family will miss her love, wisdom, sense of humour and kindness.

A short funeral service was due to be held before cremation at Waltonwrays in Skipton today, Thursday, May 21.

The family plans to welcome extended family and friends to a full service of celebration of Gladys’ life when circumstances allow.