Over 150 family and friends packed into South Craven Baptist Church last Friday to pay their respects to a well known and respected Glusburn resident who died, aged 79, following a short illness.

Myra Keighley was born on July 17, 1921, the eldest daughter of Edward (Ted) and Ada Shutt in Glusburn.

Her sister Audrey was born in 1925 and passed away in Los Angeles, California, last year.

On leaving school Myra stayed at home to help her mother on the family farm at Sutton Fields, where her father had a milk round and travelled up and down the lane by the side of Glusburn School so many times that it became known as 'Shutt Lane'.

Coming from a musical family - her father Ted was a tenor - Myra loved singing whilst her sister Audrey played the piano and organ. During their childhood they performed in many chapel and village musical productions. In the 1950s after winning a talent competition the prize was to make a record. Myra, a talented soprano soloist, performed at many church and social functions until the late 1960s when illness stopped her singing.

It was whilst singing at Greens Social in Cononley that she came to the attention of Ronald Keighley, who made her his bride on March 21, 1942. They set up home in Cowling and Ronald served overseas in the Royal Air Force.

The couple were blessed with four children, Jim, Pauline, Linda and Julie, who were all raised in Cowling until 1966 when Myra and family returned to her roots in Glusburn.

At Cowling Myra worshipped at Ickornshaw Methodist Chapel, but rejoined Glusburn Baptist Church where she was baptised in 1989. She was an active church member and after the closure of Glusburn Baptist church last autumn Myra attended South Craven Baptist Church in Sutton - the same church, although a new building, in which she married Ronald almost 59 years ago.

Above all Myra was devoted to her family, which continues to grow with eight grand children, nine great grandchildren plus large bump, and four great great grandchildren.

She will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her.