THE DAUGHTER of a woman who spent most of her life working and volunteering in Hereford has paid tribute to her.

Joan Lloyd, who passed away aged 97 on October 15, her daughter Christine Lloyd said.

A true Herefordian, Joan was a member of the Jordan family, whose boatyard and pleasure boats were a prominent presence on the river Wye in Hereford up to the 1940s.

Some of her memories of the Boatyard were included in Marsha O’Mahony’s recently published book River Voices.

Joan rowed boats and swam in the river all through her young life and on retirement continued to swim daily in the local pool in St Martin’s Avenue until the age of 95.

She served in the Women’s Royal Air Force during the war and went on to work in both Greenland’s department store until it closed in 1969, and subsequently for Chadd’s department store until she retired in 1982.

Joan then joined the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) delivering meals-on-wheels around the city for almost 27 years.

She was awarded the WVS Long Service Medal and was honoured for her Excellence in the Voluntary Sector locally as part of Special Herefordshire Diamond Jubilee awards in 2012.

One of Joan’s secrets for a long life was to practise yoga, which she did for more than 40 years.

She was also a passionate gardener and a member of the Eaton Bishop Gardening Club.

She married Godfrey Lloyd from Eaton Bishop in 1949, and became a widow in 1980. But this did not stop her busy, active and fulfilled life.

The day of her funeral, Saturday, October 26, saw the river Wye rising rapidly causing heavy flooding.

Although this echoed many of the challenges Joan had always spoken of in connection with the river, the funeral service went ahead as planned and she was reunited with Godfrey in Eaton Bishop churchyard.

It was a great testament to Joan that so many people attended the funeral despite the exceptional weather.

She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends.