Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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Tributes paid to ‘well-loved’ Pill woman
7:20pm Tuesday 1st February 2011
Print Email Share By Ruth Mansfield »
A PILL woman who went out of her way to help others in the community including providing Christmas dinners for local pensioners, has died aged 79.
Mary Hawkesby, of Latch Square, died at the Royal Gwent Hospital on January 15 after suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The mother of eight and grandmother of 28, was born in Newport and lived in the Pill area for more than 40 years.
Always thinking about others, for around 15 years, Ms Hawkesby, who was also a great-grandmother, held bingo sessions within the local community to raise funds.
She would then use the funds to create food parcels at Christmas to deliver to local pensioners who would otherwise be without.
Ms Hawkesby’s daughter Lorraine, 54, said: "She was a well-loved and well-respected woman. It was usually around five to 10 people she was providing for each Christmas. Everyone in the area knew of her and she did all she could to help out others."
Friend, Audrey Stone, 64, said: "My mother was one of those who always used to get a Christmas parcel from Mary. It would have everything in it to ensure all the pensioners on the estate could enjoy a Christmas meal."
Ann Barton of AB Florists, Commercial Road, said: "Everyone in Pill knew her. I have been inundated here with people coming in and talking about the funeral. She was always so nice to everyone and had a wonderful nature."