A WELL-KNOWN St John Ambulance first aider and mother-of-five, Phyllis Mary Gibbs – also known as Mary Summers – died peacefully in her sleep on July 3 at Chippenham’s Goldenley Care Home, aged 90.

Born on June 2, 1926, Mrs Summers was born in Chippenham Cottage Hospital and weighed 3lb.

The eldest daughter of Arthur and Edith Gibbs, she attended Kington Langley School before moving to Westmead School and had a younger sister, Margaret.

She met her future husband, John Harold Summers, in infant class at Westmead School after she broke her arm and he had to complete her sewing as punishment for bad behaviour.

They married on April 8, 1950, at Causeway Methodist Church, Chippenham, and set up home in Lowden.

They moved to Oate Hill shortly after their first daughter, Linda, was born in 1951 and they went on to have four more children; Anne, Jean, David and Robert.

In 1989 they moved to Purton, where Mrs Summer played an active role in the village’s Women’s Institute.

Mrs Summers was an active member of Chippenham St John Ambulance having joined in the Second World War and retired from service in 1993, during which time she received a number of awards and recognition.

Mr Summers died in 2007, and following a fall in December 2015 Mrs Summers moved to Goldenley Care Home in Forest Lane, Chippenham.

She had 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

One of her daughters, Jean Morrison, said: “She was happy and settled here and enjoyed being taken care of.

“She enjoyed visits from old friends and her family and continued to play board games with her great-grandchildren until a few weeks before her death.

“Mary liked being surrounded by her family and was never happier than sat in the sunshine in her conservatory with her magazines, the local papers and crosswords.”

Mrs Summers’ cremation will take place at West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington on Monday, July 18 from 1.45pm.

Donations can be made to Purton and District Luncheon Club via Jones Undertakers, Market Place, Chippenham.