A THANKSGIVING service was held last week for the life of Polly White, a former mayor and mayoress of Okehampton who was awarded the MBE in 1989 for her services to the community.
Polly, who was born Grace Irene Alderton, came to Okehampton in 1935 with the intention of working as a nurse at the Okehampton War Memorial Hospital for three months, but that turned into 67 years.
She married Clem White in 1938 and became involved with the Mothers' Union, Women's Institute and All Saints Parish Church where Clem was captain of the bellringers.
Parallel to her work as theatre sister at the hospital she was also involved with the local branch of the Red Cross as nursing commandant and was in demand as a tutor and examiner for the Red Cross locally and elsewhere.
Local government entered her life when Clem was elected to the former borough council and increasingly so with his six years as mayor.
Polly was elected to the borough council in her own right and became mayor of the town after Clem died in 1976, finally resigning from the town council at the age of 83.
For 18 years she was the chairman of the Hospital League of Friends and on her retirement was made life president. During this period she was also Inner Wheel president and co-ordinator of the Oxfam shop.
She spent the last period of her life at Aalen House, Okehampton, after suffering a stroke, where her family said she received the very best care and attention.