A WOMAN who dedicated her life to improving the local community has died at the age of 86.

Muriel Seymour, known to friends as Betty, passed away peacefully surrounded by family last Sunday.

A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at All Saints Church, High Wycombe on Tuesday at 12.30pm.

Mrs Seymour grew up in Flackwell Heath and attended Wycombe High School, in Abbey Way, High Wycombe.

She met her husband Monty in 1931 at Hughes' Chemist, High Wycombe, where he worked as a pharmaceutical apprentice.

In keeping with the tradition of the time, the pair were formally introduced at a Young Farmers' dance in 1933 and wedding bells rang out seven years later.

Mr Seymour, who is currently the president of Wycombe Wanderers Football Club and the Royal British Legion, completed his pharmaceutical training in 1937 and has no doubts about the reason for his success.

"Without Betty, God knows how I would have gotten through those trying years of training," he smiled. "She had a great head for numbers and never tired in quizzing me for my exams."

The couple were inseparable as Betty took on the accounts and other duties at her husband's pharmacy, when he took over Hughes' Chemist in 1951.

Meanwhile, Mrs Seymour worked as a Juvenile Court Magistrate at the end of the 1950s, and volunteered for community groups including Meals on Wheels, the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, WHS Guild and the Alms Houses Committee.

Mrs Seymour was also an ardent Wycombe Wanderers supporter, who tried not to miss any home games.

She leaves her husband Monty, daughters Pam, Jackie and Gill, sons-in-laws Roger, Geoff and Dionysios, grandchildren and great grandchildren.