A MUCH-LOVED wife, mother and friend to many "lived a life based on giving, and not counting the cost" before she died almost 10 years after being diagnosed with blood cancer.

Susan Robson, who died on February 1, aged 69, was born in Heworth, York, and attended local schools until she was 16 when she worked in the offices at Rowntree Chocolate works, later becoming deputy office supervisor.

She started helping with Heworth Cubs as a Girl Guide, and later became a leader for 26 years and an Assistant District Commissioner with responsibility for leader training.

She met her husband David when he was a Scout leader at Heworth, and they married in 1969. He became a Commissioner for the Scouts, and they supported each other working with Cubs, Scouts, and Venture Scouts.

David said: "Susan's pride and joy were her sons, Matthew and Peter, and she was pleased to be a full-time mum to them. She was always so proud of their achievements."

Susan volunteered at their school, Hempland Primary, and when they joined St. Helens Church choir, she looked after the robes and music. She also helped with the church youth club, helping organise trips and events.

In 1986, David was seriously injured in a road accident, which led to his retirement in 1990. Following his accident, Susan took a job at Applefields School, working until retirement age as a specialist teaching assistant where she was also a governor. She spent many leisure hours making medieval costumes for pupils taking part in the Early Music Festival, and particularly enjoyed helping the children do outdoor pursuits on the annual trip to an outdoor centre.

Susan was diagnosed with a form of treatable but incurable blood cancer, Lymphoma, almost a decade ago.

David said: "In retirement she spoke of the joy of doing so much in her lifetime for young people and, despite 48 doses of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, she was indebted to Dr Martin Howard at York Hospital, finding her almost 10 years of life, during which she achieved so much more."

She helped make costumes for the last Mystery Plays, and the World War I play, Blood and Chocolate. Other interests included badminton, hill walking, and supporting the Chapter House choir. She was a lay member of a regional research leukaemia and lymphoma research committee, and a member of a support group for sufferers.

David said her greatest joy was becoming a mother-in-law to Margaret and Bethan, and a grandmother to Matthew’s children, Alex, Will, and Emmy.

"She very much lived a life based on giving, and not counting the cost," said David.

Her funeral was held at Holy Trinity Church in Heworth where she had been baptised and married.