A former Mayor of Chester and long-serving member of Chester City Council has died at the age of 74.

Dolores Whitton was born in Saughall on September 13, 1941 and educated at the Ursuline Convent School in Chester, after which she trained as a teacher and began a career in education spanning 35 years.

In addition, Mrs Whitton played a full and valuable part in the civic life of Chester and in the life of her local community in Saughall, contributing 43 years to the work of the parish council in her home village.

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She continued to live in Saughall with her husband Paul where their children Katie and Alistair, now a professional BMX rider, were born.

Dolores Whitton pictured with organisers of a pancake race in her home village of Saughall in February 2015

Mrs Whitton was a member of Chester City Council from 1975 until 1992 and was Mayor of the City of Chester from 1986 until 1987.

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She served as a magistrate in Chester for 30 years and was chair of the Youth Bench. She was also a governor of Upton High School for 34 years and vice-chair and chair for 17 years.

Mrs Whitton also served as a trustee and member of the board of directors of the Chester Mystery Plays company from 1992 until her retirement in 2014 when she transferred to company membership.

Dolores Whitton pictured with other former Lord Mayors and Mayors of Chester at a Chester Mystery Plays fundraiser in 2013
Dolores Whitton pictured with other former Lord Mayors and Mayors of Chester at a Chester Mystery Plays fundraiser in 2013

Chester Mystery Plays chairman Jo Sykes paid tribute to the many long years of service Mrs Whitton devoted to the wider Chester community, adding: “She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.”

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Mrs Whitton died at Clatterbridge Hospital over the weekend. The funeral will take place on Thursday, April 28 at 9.15am at Saughall All Saints Church followed by a committal at 10.40am at Blacon Crematorium.

The family has requested no flowers at the funeral but donations would be welcome to either Llangollen Railway of Abbey Road, Llangollen or the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.