Cirencester community stalwart Joyce Dawson remembered (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester community stalwart Joyce Dawson remembered

12:00pm Sunday 3rd February 2013 in Cotswolds news By Ian Craig

TRIBUTES have been paid to Cirencester community stalwart who has died aged 86.

Joyce Dawson, who lived in Cirencester all her life, died on January 17 after a life filled with adventure and work for the community.

She was the expedition to the Shetlands by Cirencester doctor Robert Hope-Simpson, where he confirmed shingles and chicken pox came from the same virus – widely considered one of the most important medical discoveries of the last century.

Joyce – who never married and had no children – was extremely well-travelled throughout her life and took her last trip to the Arctic aged 85.

Friends Anne Walls and Julia Hope-Simpson paid tribute to Joyce, saying: “Joyce will be remembered as always kind, optimistic and willing to go the extra mile for anyone in need”.

She also volunteered for many years with charity WRVS delivering meals on wheels across Cirencester.

Nicky Amos, who organised meals on wheels deliveries across Cirencester, remembered Joyce as “a lovely lady”.

“She was very helpful and she was very well liked by everyone,” she said.

“She would do anything for anybody.”

She was also a key part of the organisation running relationships with Cirencester’s twin town of Itzehoe in Germany and frequently hosted foreign students at Christmas time.