MUCH-LOVED mother, grandmother and mother-in-law, Mary Brinton, has died at the age of 79.

Born on the Isle of Wight, Mrs Brinton's father, Alfred Roseblade, died a month before her birth.

When she was four, her mother Marjorie married Richard Hopkins ­— also a Welshman ­— and they gave her six siblings — Catherine, Pamela, Richard, Ivor, Yvonne and Gina.

Mrs Brinton went to a private primary school in Parklands Avenue, Cowes. She later attended Denmark Road School and Cowes Secondary Modern.

She took piano lessons before school and enjoyed playing the instrument for many years.Isle of Wight County Press: Mary Brinton.Mary Brinton.

When Mrs Brinton left school in 1956, she worked for Saunders-Roe as office junior, rising to secretary.

She married Clement Brinton in March, 1961, and left work to have their first child, Lynn, in February, 1962. Their second child, Helen, was born in January, 1964.

She resumed her secretarial career when her children were older.

Mrs Brinton was proficient at Pitman shorthand and, right up until a few months before she died, would listen to the news and take it down in shorthand for ‘something to do’.

She was a committed Christian and for many years an active worshipper and member of Cowes Baptist Church, where she was also a Sunday school teacher and ran the church youth club.

Mrs Brinton spent most of her working life in the Island’s youth service, and was heavily involved in the administration of the International Youth Camps, which ran for more than 25 years.

Entering the youth office, you would find her at her desk behind a messy mound of papers ­— but she knew exactly where every piece of paper was and its individual importance.

She acted for many years as the secretary for the Island’s Prince’s Trust committee, distributing grants to young people.

Always willing to help, she supported all sectors of youth work, manipulating rules and regulations for the benefit of young people.

In 1997, Mrs Brinton's husband died, and she retired from paid work in December, 2001.

Her popularity was evident when colleagues past and present paid their respects at her retirement barn dance.

After retirement, Mrs Brinton volunteered at Cowes Youth Club, and was frequently the home base emergency contact for Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition groups.

She attended several events at Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace to meet Prince Charles and Prince Philip.

Mrs Brinton was an active member of Cowes Heritage, producing displays for their annual exhibitions.

She also spent years researching her family history, and compiled her findings into four enormous folders — one for each of her grandchildren, Elizabeth, William, George and Charlie.

She had a great rapport with children and doted on her family, spending hours playing games with her grandchildren, singing and making things with them.

She also volunteered at Northwood Primary School, predominantly helping older children with reading and maths.

Mrs Brinton used to knit and sew for her family, who remember her as a great, traditional cook.

A true unsung community champion, Mrs Brinton was so well-known, her grandchildren often joked that wherever they went on the Island, she always bumped into someone she knew.