My mother, Eileen Sibson, who has died of cancer aged 84, was a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, nurse, midwife, health visitor and plantswoman.
She was born Eileen Gould, the second of four daughters, in Northfleet, Kent. A bright girl, she did well at school and gained her higher school certificate. Her mother would have preferred her to stay nearer home, but she was keen to make something of herself. She trained as a nurse at the London hospital (now the Royal London) in Whitechapel. She remained fiercely proud of the nursing profession and told vivid stories about her time on the wards.
She subsequently worked as a midwife in Norwich, where she met a young police officer, Martin Sibson. They married in 1952 and settled down in Cambridge, where they soon had a family: first a daughter, Claire, and then me. Eileen continued to work part-time as a midwife. She then set up a playgroup with a friend, Dorothy Dott, which expanded to two groups with 60 children in total, at a time when this form of childcare was innovative. After we had left school, she trained as a health visitor, practising for 18 years in Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and Essex, following Martin's career moves.
In 1993 she and Martin retired to Burnham Market, Norfolk, where they supervised the building of a house to their own design and created a wonderful garden. Eileen had the time in retirement to demonstrate her skills as a plantswoman and to share them with others through her leading role in the local garden club. She learned new skills too, especially how to use the internet. At the age of 71, she asked me what email was. Once she knew her way round a computer there was no stopping her. She and Martin were active and helpful members of the village community, and were very proud of a profile in the Eastern Daily Press recording their contribution.
Eileen will be remembered and loved by all who knew her, for her strength, loyalty and inquiring mind. Her qualities were evident in the bravery with which she prepared herself, and others, for her death during her final illness.
She is survived by Martin, Claire and me, her grandchildren Leo, Anna and Lorna, and her sisters, Joan and Pam.