It has been a privilege to know Stella for over 55 years, ever since Jean came to sit next to me at our high wooden desks in our final year at Welland House. But it is only now that I have the temerity to call her 'Stella', as she was always 'Mrs Ward' to me as Jean, Liz and John's Mum.

Over the many years, I have always enjoyed visiting Primrose Villas and, particularly, have appreciated the way that both Stella and Bernard, even from the early days, treated us as adults, with our own experiences, ideas, views and values. I well remember a particularly lively discussion around the dinner table one Christmas time, while enjoying Stella's excellent ham joint - the latter being a tradition we have enthusiastically copied.

Since Jean moved to Poland, and partiularly since my own Mum moved into Stamford, we have been able to see more of each other during Jean's visits home to Stamford. This also enabled me to see more of Stella, and I treasure our conversations when we both enjoyed putting the world to rights.  Stella always had such stories of the goings-on in Stamford and the many personalities she had known along the way. I'm so glad that Jean has inherited not just her mother's looks but also her infectious chuckle.

Ian and I share an enormous regard for Stella's intellect and broad interest in world affairs.  We have both been amazed by her capacity, even into very old age, to hop on a plane to Poland, the US or Australia and to be the robust anchor for her international family. 'It's so easy Debbie' she used to say 'I just hop in a taxi at the front door, then a buggie through the airport and then the plane - I don't have to do anything!'

I will miss Stella enormously and will think of her, as we always do, when we drive into and out of Stamford within sight of her home. It is a sad time, but also an opportunty to celebrate Stella as a remarkable lady and a life well spent.