Tributes paid to 102-year-old Shropshire woman
One of Shropshire's oldest residents has died at the age of 102.
Fanny Owen, who was born in Clee St Margaret, near Craven Arms, died peacefully at the Old Vicarage care home in Gobowen, near Oswestry.
Mrs Owen, who was one of nine children, moved to Hordley, near Ellesmere, at the age of seven.
She married her husband William, known as Bill, in February 1941. The couple met thanks to Bill's interest in pigeons and spent 52 happy years together, living in Ellesmere and latterly in St Martins until Bill’s death in 1993. During the Second World War, she worked in a munitions factory near Ellesmere.
Mrs Owen was an active member of the St Martins Parish Church congregation until recently, joining the knitting group and also going on many of the social outings.
When she celebrated her 100th birthday in June 2016, she put her good health and long life down to her love of walking and gardening.
Grandson Martin Wright described Mrs Owen as an inspiration.
"She was always so fit and healthy, and positive. She was able to take anything in her stride and would turn her hand to anything," he said.
"I remember calling in to see her one day, and she must have been approaching 90 at the time, and she was outside mixing cement to fix her garden path. That was the sort of person she was.
"She was also very patient and kind, with an incredibly sharp mind – and even towards the end of her life, her wicked sense of humour remained intact."
Mrs Owen leaves a daughter, Jenny, son-in-law Colin, grandchildren Andrea, Martin, Barry and Rachel, and great-grandchildren Harry and James.
Her funeral will be held at St Mary's Church Ellesmere on October 20 at noon. Donations will be in aid of Cancer Research UK.
