TRIBUTES have been paid to a “special and cherished lady” born and bred in York, who has died six months after celebrating her 100th birthday.

Doris Justice passed away peacefully in her sleep at Haxby Hall Residential Home on Tuesday, leaving five children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Doris, who formerly lived off Cemetery Road, was born Doris Thorpe and attended Castlegate School, in Fulford, until the age of 14 when she left to work at Terry’s chocolate factory.

In 1937 she married Walter Justice at Melbourne Methodist Chapel in the Fishergate area. She eventually gave birth to six children; David, who sadly died aged three, Jacqueline, John, Carol, Diane, and Kevin.

Doris was widowed in November 1961, but led an active life, said her daughter, Diane Conway.

“She enjoyed sequence dancing in her spare time, which she took up after my dad died. She loved it and danced until she was 90.

“She drove a car and could always be seen zipping around in her Mini until she was 91. Then she got a mobility scooter and rode that for four years up and down Fulford Road.”

This year, on March 22, Doris celebrated her 100th birthday and had a party attended by 60 family and friends to mark the special milestone.

Diane, of Dunnington, said: “She was a special and cherished lady to all her family. She has held us all together.

“She was strong-willed and was the backbone of the family and as a result we are all very close-knit. She always took an interest in all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“At the end of the day she died of old age. She decided she wanted to go and be with my dad; she had been widowed for 50 years and she wanted to be with him and that is where she will be now.” A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 9am at Melbourne Chapel, in Cemetery Road, followed by burial at York Cemetery. Family flowers only, donations in lieu will be given in Doris’s memory for the work of Melbourne Chapel.