Wiltshire councillor Linda Conley, who was affectionately known as Lady Loo by her fellow councillors because of her role as portfolio holder for waste, died on October 14, aged 65, at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
Mrs Conley, who had one brother, David, was born in Wolverhampton and went to Wolverhampton Girls School.
She went on to serve in the Women’s Royal Naval Service, which was where she met her husband, Captain Dan Conley, in 1967, when he was a submarine commanding officer in the Royal Navy.
They married in Wolverhampton in 1975 and had one daughter, Faith, 30. They moved to Wiltshire in 1991. Mrs Conley also worked as an executive at IT company Rank Xerox.
She served as a Wiltshire politician for more than 10 years, representing the Conservatives and initially serving her village and the district surrounding Dilton Marsh on West Wiltshire District Council.
More recently, she had been the county councillor for Winsley, Westwood, Limpley Stoke and Wingfield and in May she was elected as Wiltshire Councillor for the Ethandune ward.
As a district councillor she took on responsibility for the portfolio of waste collection, street cleaning and public toilets.
Delighted to be known as Lady Loo by her colleagues, she put her full energy and enthusiasm behind her staff, which included the lavatory maintenance and cleaning teams. Much to her pride and amusement, their work meant the council won several national awards for the Best Kept Local Conveniences, including one for the highest standard of provision of disabled toilets.
Elected as a county councillor in 2009, she accepted the responsibility for the county’s waste collection services and on several occasions completed a round on a rubbish collection vehicle in order to gain first-hand experience.
During 1998-2005, she also served as a governor of the Women’s Royal Naval Service Benevolent Trust, and took an active part in welfare work for the charity.
As a very active member of the local community, she was a Friend of the Tin Church at Brokerswood and a very supportive governor of Dilton Marsh Church of England Primary.
Mrs Conley was also a keen golfer, playing at Cumberwell Park Golf Club, Bradford on Avon, and also enjoyed playing bridge.
In early 2012, she was diagnosed with cancer, but despite experiencing significant pain and discomfort, she continued to perform all her council duties right up until her death.
Her family said she was always a very positive woman, who had dedicated her life to serving others, and added that she had a wonderful sense of humour.
A private funeral will be held in the coming weeks, followed by a celebration of her life and memorial service in late November, on a date still to be set.
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