Car dealership boss dies at 88

Jean Marie Morris, who was a senior director of Peter Morris Cars Ltd in Wellington for more than 20 years, had a "happy and positive attitude to life" which left its mark on relatives and those who knew her, according to her family.

Her funeral will be held at Christ Church in Cressage, near Shrewsbury, tomorrow at 2pm.

Mrs Morris was born in 1927 and spent most of her childhood in the village of Beckbury, near Worfield.

She would often talk of the fond and occasionally disturbing memories she had growing up in the close-knit village community during the Second World World War.

She was 12 when the war broke out and never forgot the night she sat on the steps outside her house and watched the sky over Coventry glow red.

Mrs Morris attended Coalbrookdale High School and cycled there every day from Beckbury no matter the weather.

She maintained that it was that daily 16-mile cycle routine that gave her such a strong heart and cheery spirit.

After completing her studies she took an apprenticeship in hairdressing, starting aged 14 at the James Beattie department store in Wolverhampton.

Her passion was dancing and it was at a ballroom dance at Anstice Hall in Madeley that she met her husband Gordon. The couple settled in Madeley and raised three children.

Mrs Morris combined her love of hairdressing with raising a family, taking on the running of the newly opened teaching salon at the Abraham Darby comprehensive school.

For 25 years she taught pupils her craft and loved her time there. She was also a governor at the Williams Reynolds school in Madeley and was an active committee member of the Wrekin Conservatives.

In 1990 she moved with her husband to Cressage and relished being back in the countryside. The couple had a holiday home in Aberdovey, which triggered memories of the 'bracing sea air' she recalled from childhood visits to relatives in Anglesey.

Her husband died in 1993 and in that year Mrs Morris became senior director of Peter Morris Cars Ltd in Wellington, remaining in that position until her death.

She was also instrumental in her the company's purchasing of the Huntsman Inn, Little Wenlock. In the 1960s she had often enjoyed a drink in the bar of The Huntsman with her husband.

Helen Backhouse became her carer in 2013 and was a tremendous help and a good friend. Mrs Morris never tired of saying how lucky she was to have such a wonderful person to look after her.

Mrs Morris is survived by three children, Susan a teacher in Cambridge, Alan an architect in London and Peter, a local businessman.

She also leaves behind seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, their sadness mixed with memories of their grandmother and her happy, positive attitude to life.

The funeral Of Mrs Morris will take place at Christ Church, Cressage on April 7 at 2.00pm.