Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay tribute to a former councillor and Accrington community champion.
Wendy Dwyer who died on July 25 aged 81, had served as a local and county councillor for many years before stepping down from her duties earlier this year after 23 years on Hyndburn council.
Family, friends and colleagues filled Accrington Town Hall and the chapel at the Accrington Crematorium in celebration of Wendy’s life on Thursday.
Joyce Plummer, who served as a Labour councillor with Wendy in Peel ward, said she will be very sadly missed.
She said: “I had worked with her for a very long time and I will miss her greatly.
“She was my mentor on my early days on the council, she wasn’t just a council colleague, but was also a very dear friend, I could talk to her about anything. The town hall was packed and so was the service at the crematorium.”
Joyce said the service honouring Wendy’s life was filled with laughter and tears.
She said: “There were colleagues there from both sides of the chamber, members of Lancashire County Council and representatives from the charities she was involved in.
“Her son talked about what she was like as a mother and that drew a few laughs.
“She was a wonderful lady and a real pillar of her community.
“She was a very intelligent lady, a very clever lady, she had travelled to Cuba earlier in this year and she was planning to travel to South Africa.”
Wendy, who was a former chairman of Lancashire County Council, stepped down from Hyndburn council this year after a combined 23 years’ service and was made an Honorary Alderman in May.
The mother-of-five, who lived on Stanley Street in Accrington for more than 50 years, was involved with numerous groups, including Homeless in Hyndburn.
She was also the chairman of Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Parkinson’s Support Group, which she set up 10 years ago, and chairman of the Helping Hands charity, which helps improve the lives of hundreds of Accrington residents.
Wife of the late Michael, she leaves children Sandra, Mark, Kathryn, Paul and Nina, grandchildren Rebecca, Lauren and James and great-granddaughter Emily.
