“We used to call her the Queen Mother as she was our Queen Mum.”
Those are the fitting words from the family of Isabel Ethell, from Brookfield in Middlesbrough, who died aged 101 on February 3.
Known as Belle, she was born in Sheffield on January 11, 1914, before moving to Teesside - where her parents originated - when she was just two.
Married and widowed twice, Belle had two children, Jean and Charles, two step-children, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
She worked in the office at grocery store Hintons and then at ICI, also in the office.
Daughter and son-in-law Jean and Joe Wearmouth, from Norton, today paid tribute to her.
“Mam and dad bought their first house in Buttermere Avenue in Acklam and then they moved to Acklam Road opposite the Master Cooper,” said Jean, 70, a retired office manager, who has two grown-up children Amanda, 45, and Stephen, 38, and four grandchildren, Danielle, 23, Rhys, 19, Callum, 18, and Finley, six.
“We lived with Mam when we were first married, after Dad died, until this house was built.
“She had been fit and healthy all her life.
“She led an active life and had a lot of friends.
“On a Wednesday night she’d go to the Majestic Bingo with her friends. She was very bright and could do six books at the same time.”
Belle, who married David McNab in 1938, was widowed in 1966. She remarried 10 years later to Gilbert Ethell, becoming stepmother to Malcolm and Jean. He died in 1984.
“When my Dad died, I didn’t know how she would cope as they were very close but she was marvellous,” said Jean.
Joe, 72, said: “She was very regal, like the Queen Mother.
“I was president of Billingham Synthonia Bowls Club and Gilbert - her second husband - was a bowler and they used to go on bowling holidays together.
“He asked our permission to ask her to marry him.”
Belle, who spent many happy holidays to Jersey with Jean and Joe, had never been in hospital in her life - even as an outpatient.
But just before Christmas, Belle, who still lived independently at home, had a fall from her sofa which left her bedridden.
Known as Nana B to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her family “thought the world of her” with grandson Stephen “doing anything for her” and granddaughter Amanda doing her cleaning and washing her hair every week.
The Gazette joined Belle for her 100th birthday celebrations last year at the Riverside Stadium where she revealed she had bought the Gazette since 1938.
“I like to know how the Boro do and I have been buying the Gazette since it was a penny,” she said.
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