A FORMER Langham resident of 75 years and ex-parish council chairman has died, aged 101.

Laura Smerdon went from clerk to chairman of Langham Parish Council during her long life in the village.

She spent the last two years of her life at the Old Rectory care home in Lexden, where she died peacefully on Thursday, August 20.

Her daughter Elizabeth Schofield, who looked after her for three years before she moved into the care home, said: “It was a very peaceful end. She was never alone and she had all her family around her, as she would have wanted it.

“So many people knew her. She did so much for the village.”

Mrs Smerdon was part of a very large family, with her daughters Elizabeth and Christine, stepdaughter Audrey, six grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and five great, great grandchildren.

Her family said she was well and talking right up until her last day. She was reading and having conversations with the doctors at the care home a couple of days before she died.

She was born in Ipswich in 1914, the daughter of Frank and Clara Prewer, and left what is now the Northgate School, at 16.

She worked as a junior clerk before learning shorthand and typing, and she then went on to become a correspondence clerk.

In December 1938 she married Tomand theymoved to Wick Road in Langham.

However, four weeks after their wedding, Tom was seriously injured in a car crash at the Lion and Lamb corner, on the way from Langham to Colchester.

After her husband died in 1955, she worked for the Ministry of Defence at Colchester Garrison for 11 years before being transferred to work in London for 12 years.

She retired in January 1979 and made bridesmaids’ dresses for her grand-daughter Claire Harden.

She was described as modest, inspirational, and always put family first.

Daughter Elizabeth even followed in her mother’s footsteps to become the chairman of Langham Parish Council.

Mrs Smerdon’s funeral will be held on Thursday, September 3 at noon, at St Mary’s Church in Langham.